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Каспинфо апрель 2002 |
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Название: Экологические проблемы на англ. языке Главные Пункты: * Иран вошел в Комиссию по Каспийским Биоресурсам. Одним из условий участия Ирана в работе Комиссии является изменение устава организации с учетом предложений Тегерана. Согласно подписанному соглашению, лов осетра в реках разрешается. * Группа экологических НПО Азербайджана, пожелавших остаться неизвестными, обвиняет компанию ВР в сбросе буровых отходов и шлама в Каспий, что, возможно, стало причиной массовой гибели тюленей и килек, а также в сжигании попутного газа, когда в других районах Азербайджана его не хватает. Кроме того, ВР не выполняет обязательств по найму рабочих из числа местных жителей, обеспечению общественного мониторинга на своих объектах и др. (08.04.2002) Полный Текст Экологические проблемы на англ. языке Экологические проблемы на англ. языке *** /13:10 01.04.2002/ Iran joins the Commission on Caspian Bioresources Baku, April 1, 2002. (CNA). According to the agreement signed at the conclusion of an extraordinary meeting of the Commission on Caspian Bioresources held here to discuss joint efforts of Caspian states to combat poaching, the Islamic Republic of Iran accepted to join the commission. IRNA reports that earlier Iran had been attending the meetings of the commission, comprising of Russia, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan Republic, as an observer. At the conclusion of the commission after signing the agreement, Iran's Deputy Agricultural Jihad Minister and Managing Director of Fishery Organization Yahya Mohammadzadeh told an IRNA reporter that Iran accepted to join the commission on two conditions which were approved. He added, "The first condition set by Iran was to revise the commission's regulations and constitution and take into view Tehran's proposals." The head of the Iranian delegation attending the meeting said, "Tehran insists that the five littoral states bordering the Caspian Sea should comply with their commitments on the Caspian bioresources and that a respective performance guarantee should be drawn up." He said that on the basis of the signed agreement, a new constitution is due to be drawn up by experts within a few months which will be assessed by Iran's law making body before its final approval by the five littoral states. He added that according to the signed agreement, fishing sturgeon in rivers is also permitted, while the Islamic Republic of Iran is entitled to fishing in the sea as well. Mohammadzadeh underlined that Volga is the only river bordering the northern part of the Caspian and that expect Russia, the other three littoral states including Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan are banned from fishing in it. Referring to Iran's sturgeon fishing quota in the Caspian Sea for the year 2002 rated at 75 tons, he said that Iran plays a significant role in the protection and restoration of the Caspian Sea bioresources. At the 17th meeting of the Commission on Caspian Bioresources headed by Azeri Minister for Ecology and Natural Resources Gusein Bagirov, the issues of fishing and its standardization were also discussed. The session was held at the premises of Baku fish processing plant on March 29-30. CNA/www.caspian.ru *** BP and environment in Azerbaijan: tortoise in danger BP have killed all tortoises at Sangachal The British company BP is one of the biggest and well-known oil companies in the world. BP is engaged with the oil and gas production in the Azerbaijan sector of the Caspian Sea. Before BP Company was known for its special and positive attitude to the environmental issues. When BP company had signed the contract with Azerbaijan on development of oil and gas fields there appeared a lot of positive expectations in the Azerbaijan society - new job opportunities, improvement of a people's well-being, bringing of new technologies and the new attitude to the environment, etc. Unfortunately, today it is impossible to talk about realization of these expectations. Workplaces are basically occupied by foreigners, well-being of people was not changed significantly, and nothing heard about new technologies. And the main symbol reflecting the newest stage of pollution of the Caspian sea represents an old, but little bit upgraded platform Chirag. The huge amount of harmful and poison substances is dumped today from the platform Chirag and Sangachal oil terminal to the Caspian sea. Therefore the flora and fauna of the Caspian sea is under threat of extinction. And in general, a question of BP attitude to ecology in Azerbaijan is a special theme for thinking. BP Company frequently carry out public hearings for its Environmental Impact Assessment documents for the projects in Azerbaijan. In those hearings they try to present their activity in a beautiful way and to find some answers to questions which we, NGOs try to put before them. We repeatedly took part in similar hearings and more than once heard assurances that they will listen to our opinion, but it is still now remained only as a next promise. Representatives of the company meet with scientists, non-governmental organizations, and various public communities. In principle this is a very good practice, if not- During the meeting with the public the company constantly declares its ecological policy "no any damage to the ecology". Promise do not dump drill cuttings and harmful and poison chemicals into the sea, promise to construct a facility for cuttings treatment and a place for disposal and utilization of all other waste products dangerous to people and poison to ecology, promise not to burn natural gas and provide it to the population. Promise to use in their business local population and local experts. Promise to give the results of the sea monitoring to the society. Promise to provide the public monitoring at all its facilities. And many other promises... In reality BP company continues to discharge of cuttings and harmful chemicals in to the Caspian sea. Isn't it the reason of big mortality of seals and sprat? Because the destructive influence of hydrocarbons and other harmful chemical substances on the immune system of animals is well-tested and known fact. During the Soviet regime we have suffered much from the harm put to the population and a nature by chemical plants of Sumgait. During all meetings with public BP Environmental Manager speaks about rescue of tortoises which they found at Sangachal. They found that which never found in Azerbaijan before and was mainly exist in Argentine. And they hired British environmental company RSK to prepare a special "TORTOISE RESCUE PLAN" and spent 100 thousands US Dollars for this plan preparation. And at the same time BP have put this plan on shelve and started their construction activity at Sangachal forgotting about tortoise at all. And BP have killed all tortoises at Sangachal. What is the modern state of macrobenthos? As hundreds tons of cuttings should affect community of benthic animals. Construction of harmful waste disposal facility was one of key expectations of the public connected to the activity of oil company BP, but similar to other questions it has remained only in the list of expectations. Repeatedly Azerbaijan NGO applied to the BP company management, and in particular to president Vudvord to provide public monitoring on all facilities of the company. But nothing done so far. And who knows about the actual influence of operations of the foreign oil companies on a unique ecology of the Caspian sea. But it is known about seal mortality, reduction fishes population and first of all sturgeon, disappearance of a salmon from the sangachal waters, invasion of the Black Sea's jellyfish, etc. By the way the last one is the big danger for the ecological equilibrium of the Caspian sea. The jellyfish has appeared in the Caspian sea most likely as result of ballast waters discharges from ships. The contribution of the oil companies to this is obvious. The BP company continues to burn extracted natural gas on all its facilities. And it occurs when the majority of the population of the Azerbaijan regions suffers from lack of natural gas. This is only the social part of the question. And as to ecological part, BP company every time talk on all meetings with the public about its obligations on reduction of quantities of the green house gases emissions. In that case how to explain what is happening in Azerbaijan? During the meetings with public BP promises to use local population in the works. What happens in reality? Experts from the Great Britain, workers from the third countries - India, Pakistan, Philippines, etc are invited to work in Azerbaijan, while unemployment covers all Azerbaijan with million army of refugees. For construction, project and ecological works they use only the foreign companies and experts, and mainly British and American ones. The foreign labour, as a rule at 20-30 times is more expensive than local one. And the foreign companies take huge amount of money and multiply their capital on the Azerbaijan oil. What happens with the local companies? The local companies and experts are used only as subcontractors. And as a rule they receive miserable incomes. And the local companies are being used as a protection board to hide the company wishes not to use the scientific and industrial potential of Azerbaijan. So why it happens? Either BP company is dealing in populism (it means company's policy and its promises to public) for achievement of its goals, or BP does not want to follow its policy in respect to Azerbaijan. Either Public hearings most likely are conducted for sake of tick (to report to the financial creditors), Or managers of the company responsible for conducting of the work are not competent and spoil the company's reputation. As none of the big promises are fulfilled. We would like to get a formal explanation from the management of the still respectable in the world BP Company on the issues raised above. And we hope, that the future meetings with the public will be more for business rather then for a Show. Group of NGOs of Azerbaijan. P.S. - Due to some reasons we would not like to indicate names of our NGOs. |