Sochi Olympics Could Help Environment, Say Activists

TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=5 align=right border=0>TBODY>TR>TD>TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=150 border=0>TBODY>TR>TD colSpan=2>IMG src="/articles/images/Rudomaha and Kreindlin1_article.JPG">/TD>/TR>TR>TD style="PADDING-RIGHT: 5px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; PADDING-BOTTOM: 5px; PADDING-TOP: 5px">SPAN class=caption>B>Andrey Rudomaha and Mikhail Kreindlin met with the IOC 2014 commission to express their concerns on the impact of the Games on the Sochi environment. (M.Bisson/ATR)/B>/SPAN>/TD>TD width=12> /TD>/TR>/TBODY>/TABLE>/TD>/TR>/TBODY>/TABLE>(ATR) Environmental activists in Russia say they will step up efforts to resolve ecological concerns over construction plans in the bid for a 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi. BR>BR>The pledge follows a meeting last week with the environmentalists and members of the IOC Evaluation Commission who visited Sochi. BR>BR>In his comments following the week-long inspection, commission chief Chiharu Igaya cited environmental issues as one of the key challenges of the Sochi 2014 bid. BR>BR>Andrey Rudomaha, leader of the NGO Environmental Watch in the Northern Caucasus, told Around the Rings: “This is a very dramatic problem and one of our most serious concerns for the whole of the Northern Caucasus.” BR>BR>He says the proposed mountain sub-village for athletes and the Russian National Sliding Center for bobsleigh, luge and skeleton events would be built too close to the Caucasus Biosphere Nature Reserve - a UNESCO World Natural Heritage site. BR>BR>The World Wildlife Fund, Greenpeace and Environmental Watch in the Northern Caucasus say plans for Sochi 2014 could threaten wildlife habitats and endangered plant species in the Krasnaya Polyana mountains, site of planned snow sports venues. BR>BR>Rudomaha says plans would impact the habitats of Caucasian wild cats and goats, while rare plant species would be destroyed. BR>BR>Greenpeace has shared concerns, says its Russian expert Mikhail Kreindlin: “It is very simple, we want planners to move the Olympic development out of this zone. This is our stance.” BR>BR>Environmentalists have also raised concerns about plans to build the Olympic Park in the Imeretinskaya Valley. BR>BR>“The Imeretinskaya Valley lowlands is unique in Russia. If there are constructions in this area the whole ecosystem will be ruined. There are a lot of precious plant species here,” Rudomaha added. BR>BR>The two environmental groups presented their concerns and suggestions for changes to the Sochi Olympic bid in a 50-minute presentation to the IOC commission last week. BR>BR>The IOC is already aware of a recent agreement struck by the Russian govTABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=5 align=left border=0>TBODY>TR>TD>TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=150 border=0>TBODY>TR>TD colSpan=2>IMG src="/articles/images/SochiRiverForest_article.jpg">/TD>/TR>TR>TD style="PADDING-RIGHT: 5px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; PADDING-BOTTOM: 5px; PADDING-TOP: 5px">SPAN class=caption>B>Environmentalists say Olympic development should stay out of national park land in Sochi. (ATR)/B>/SPAN>/TD>TD width=12> /TD>/TR>/TBODY>/TABLE>/TD>/TR>/TBODY>/TABLE>ernment and leading environmental groups to ensure a Sochi 2014 Olympics sets new standards in ecological planning and development. BR>BR>Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Zhukov and the Minister for Economic Development German Gref recently met environmentalists, including WWF Russia, and agreed to establish a board of ecological experts to oversee the Federal Target Program for the Development of Sochi. BR>BR>Discussions also led to the government pledge that “all new construction and land leases on the territory of the Sochi National Park will be evaluated for potential ecological impact”. BR>BR>The Sochi bid team says planned projects will be granted permission only after the evaluation process is completed and the approval of the environmental expert board has been granted BR>BR>Sochi 2014 CEO Dmitry Chernyshenko said: “The landmark agreement further confirms that the Sochi 2014 Winter Games will leave a long-lasting legacy for the environmental policy in our country and ensure that thorough ecological planning and review will play a key role in Russia''s development projects going forward.” BR>BR>Kreindlin of Greenpeace says the government is now listening and that the agreement marks a step forward in the right direction. BR>BR>He says the newly formed council on environmental assistance for the Federal Target Program would allow greater dialogue between environmental groups and Olympic planners to address concerns. BR>BR>“If all our demands are met the Olympic Games might trigger positive changes in conservation in the area,” Kreindlin told Around the Rings. BR>BR>Talks between environmental groups and the government will continue as the Sochi bid team’s promotional activities step up a gear in the coming months. BR>BR>Pyeongchang in South Korea and Salzburg, Austria, are also in the running for the 2014 Games. The IOC votes on the host city July 4. BR>BR>EM>Reported from Sochi by Mark Bisson BR>/EM>BR>STRONG>Your best source source of news about the race for the 2014 Olympics is BR>www.aroundtherings.com, for subscribers only./STRONG>