Report - UNDP Russia

Chapter 7The Energy Industryand Environmental SustainabilityRussia’s energy sector is the foundationof the country’s economy, but it is also the maincause of pollution and environmentaldegradation. The consequences of fuel & energysector development for the environment are stillinsufficiently studied, both as regards the ‘old’energy industries, which have prevailed duringfour decades of rapid sector growth, and asregards alternative forms of energy provision forthe needs of the economy.Production, transportation, and use ofoil, natural gas, and coal on the scale seentoday are inevitably associated with colossaladverse effect on the environment – ‘colossal’in terms of the size of the impact, its depth (inthe literal and figurative senses) and its extent.Debates over the acceptability, in principle, ofrisks related to nuclear power are stillcontinuing; nearly all hydropower projectsprovoke objections on environmentalgrounds; and even renewable energy projects,which are supported by the majority ofenvironmentalists, are criticized by other‘greens’ for the impact they will have on theenvironment (wind farms are unsightly andlethal to unsuspecting birds; the process ofmanufacturing solar cells and their disposalafter use have negative effects; and there isgrowing concern that biofuels are not asenvironmentally friendly as we would likethem to be, especially those from crops andforestry; etc.).Table 7.1Fixed source emission rates, thousand tonnes 1Years1996 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2007RUSSIAN FEDERATION 20274 18540 18820 19124 19481 19829 20491 20491Industry 16661 14704 15222 15492 15842 15875 16733 *Oil extraction 1309 1329 1619 2119 3113 3227 4195 3706Gas industry 542 456 501 476 537 591 651 508Coal industry 596 560 604 786 819 764 757 1063Power industry 4748 3935 3857 3656 3353 3447 3258 2924Oil-refining industry 850 748 736 679 621 594 581 795Chemical and petrochemical industry 413 415 427 437 428 403 408 393Iron and steel industry 2535 2330 2396 2268 2223 2178 2203 *Non-ferrous metallurgy industry 3598 3312 3477 3405 3297 3262 3287 *Machine buildingand metal working industry602 454 433 433 370 356 340 *Woodworking industry and* Pulp and paper industry434 367 379 372 332 309 304 *Housing utilities 658 943 981 999 1058 1078 991 *Agriculture 111 121 133 126 127 119 101Transportation 2370 2394 2062 2055 2005 2175 2137 *incl. pipelines in general use 2024 2111 1797 1787 1720 1890 1826 1850* No official data1The 2000 Russia’s National Environmental Report, M., The National Center for Environmental Programs (Gosecocenter), 2001, 562 p; The2003 Russia’s National Environmental Report, M., The National Center for Environmental Programs (Gosecocenter), 2004, 446 p; The 2004Russia’s National Environmental Report, M., ANO The Center for International Projects, 2005, 493 p; The 2006 Russia’s National EnvironmentalReport, M., ANO The Center for International Projects, 2007, 500 p.122 National Human Development Report in the Russian Federation 2009