Photo from: Russian Environmental Operator
Politically, we have several environmental criteria to assess the performance of governors. Among them is waste collection and recycling. However, this is not enough. In my opinion, we need to introduce a whole environmental cluster to assess the performance of governors.
This would have the effect of forcing them to meet targets for green spaces, reductions in air emissions and water discharges, recycling of household waste, and so on, by a given year.
With such a system of evaluation, the governors of neighbouring regions would start actively engaging with each other. For example, there are several regions along the Volga, Ob, Lena and other major rivers, whose authorities cannot solve the problem of water pollution alone.
Together, they would launch a mechanism to support and improve the ecological state of the regions, by improving the quality of water in the rivers. We have bodies such as Basin Water Boards and Councils, for example. However, their conclusions on water quality are only recommendatory in nature. We need to change this situation.
At present, we have federal projects on components of the natural environment — clean air, forest protection, biodiversity, specially protected natural areas, which were included in the national project “Ecology”. Target indicators have been formulated for them.
The offices of all the federal projects included in the national Ecology programme are now working to land targets and distribute funding to all regions.
Cover photo: Russian Environmental Operator
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