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The the State Duma hearings "Transboundary water issues:enhancement of Russian legislation and international cooperation." was held on June 17, 2013.

The Russian national technical project director presented the current status and options for enhancing the legal and institutional frameworks of cooperation in the protection and sustainable management of transboundary waters between the Russian Federation and Mongolia.

The one of Duma recommendations was to conduct Environment Impact Assessment of possible Mongolia plans of dam contraction on Selenga river.

The Government of Buryatiya region and the Federal Tourism Agency organize International forum «Eco-tourism on Lake Baikal +20». The forum is organized within the framework of the Year of Environment, will be the basement for discussions about contemporary eco-tourist standards, learning exchange of best practices of ecological development, using ecological technologies and products, eco-education, eco-tourism collaboration in the Baikal Region.

The round table "Developing of an eco-tourism: initiatives and partnership of business, society and government" will be organized by the UNDP-GEF project "Integrated Natural Resource Management in the Baikal Basin Transboundary Ecosystem".

download the round table articles...

The conference is held within the framework of the Year of Environment, held in accordance with the Decree of the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin on 10.08.2012,  № 1157., organized by the Ministry of Natural Resources of the Russian Federation, the Government of the Republic of Buryatia, the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Baikal Association of deputies of the State Duma, the Fund for Protection of lake Baikal, the Russian Geographic Society.

Preamble. One of the major challenges of sustainable development of the Baikal region is the scientific support of socio-economic development. Previously, such activities with the participation of federal ministers held every 5 years in the major conferences on the development of the productive forces of the federal subjects and Siberia as a whole.

Recent international scientific conferences of that rank were held in Ulan-Ude, in 1994 and 1998 on the initiative of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences. The result was to attract the world's attention to the problems of protection and sustainable development of the lake Baikal and the Baikal region, the inclusion of Lake Baikal in the UNESCO list of world natural heritage, the adoption of the Law "On the Protection of the lake Baikal " and the first two federal programs on lake Baikal (1994 and 2001).

Since that time the discussion of scientific programs was practically collapsed and the main activities were limited to the conduct of the Baikal Economic Forum and the search of investments.

The purpose of the conference:

- discussion scientific programs of development of the Baikal region and the problems of protection of Lake Baikal in the new social and economic realities in the creation of the Ministry of Development of the Far East and Russia's entry into the World Trade Organization,

- invitation international organizations to the problems of preservation of Lake Baikal as a World Heritage Site.

Main conference reports must be presented by the Federal economic and environmental agencies, large state corporations, the leading Russian and foreign scientists, and representatives of international environmental organizations.

The program and the basic directions:

- The federal target program "Protection of Lake Baikal and the socio-economic development of the Baikal natural territory" in the past, present and future;

- The Law of the Russian Federation "On Protection of Lake Baikal" and the problems of its implementation;

- International cooperation on Lake Baikal: results and prospects;

- Monitoring of natural and social processes in the Baikal region for sustainable development;

- Environmental culture and the role of civil society organizations;

- The development of a system of protected areas;

- "Green" economy in industry and agriculture;

- Sustainable energy development and the problems of gasification of the region;

- Transboundary river basin of Selenga or river without borders;

- Economic and environmental governance on the Baikal natural territory;

- The Baikal pulp and paper mill in the present and the future;

- Mechanisms of regulation of environmental activities in the central ecological zone;

- Society in terms of environmental constraints;

- Transport and engineering infrastructure of the Baikal natural territory in the context of globalization.

A commemorative meeting of the Interdepartmental Commission on Lake Baikal, devoted to the 20th anniversary of its activity will be organized during the conference.

The conference will be dated as a start of the international air expedition "Lake Geneva (Switzerland) - Lake Baikal cooperation between Europe and Russia."

Within international conference "Rivers of Siberia and Far East" the round table "Eco-tourism developing like alternative to "resource" economic" was organized. The recommendations were developed and included into the final conference resolution, particular: "to use positive experience of UNDP-Coca-Cola project "Every drop matters" in other international projects and in the Baikal Project in 2013-2015 years".

Nairobi, February 22 2013 - Mongolia, which is prioritizing a Green Economy shift across its big economic sectors such as mining and promoting environmental awareness among youth, is to host this year's World Environment Day (WED) celebrations on June 5, the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) announced today.Mongolia Named as Global Host of World Environment Day 2013.

Credit: Shutterstock

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The National Workshop “Selenge – A River without Borders” was organized jointly by UNESCO, National Water Committee of Mongolia, and the Ministry of Environment and Green Development of Mongolia, in the framework of GEF project “Integrated Natural Resource Management in the Baikal Basin Transboundary Ecosystem” in Ulaanbaatar on 04 June 2013.

The workshop was organized under the aegis of Prime Minister of Mongolia H.E. Mr N. Altankhuyag, who sent a special message to the workshop. The Prime Minister’s message is on the workshop programme-invitation in Mongolian language.

The workshop discussed the final draft reports of pollution assessment studies. Participants of the workshop provided useful comments, which are incorporated in the final report.

The workshop was attended by over 30 participants from Ministries and water-related government agencies, River Basin organizations, international organizations, universities, the Academy of Sciences and its research institutions, NGOs and the private sector.  The workshop took place in the State Palace, which the Mongolian Government and National Water Committee kindly made available for our workshop.

As part of World Environmental Day in Mongolia Program, on 03 June 2013 was organized Public Exhibition of environmental projects and programs funded by international donors at the Sukhbaatar Square, in Ulaanbaatar. ”Integrated Natural Resources Management in the Baikal Basin Transboundary Ecosystem” project has involved successfully in the actions of public exhibition providing details about project objectives, activities, outcomes and disseminated booklets and information materials to general public.

Project is looking for Senior Law Expert. VA is published on UNOPS official web site:

Project is looking for Consultant to develop recommendations on environmental investments on active concerns to reduce pollution discharge. VA is published on UNOPS official web site:

The Second Regional Steering Committee Meeting of the UNDP-GEF regional project “Integrated Natural Resource Management in the Baikal Basin Transboundary Ecosystem” (the Baikal Project) will be held on 26-27 April 2013 in Ulaanbaatar (Mongolia).

The purpose of the second Steering Committee meeting is presentation of the Baikal Project 2012 results and 2013 work plan and budget to the Steering Committee members and observers including overview of the revised Transboundary Diagnostic Analysis and the road map for the process of developing and enhancing the legal and institutional framework of bilateral transboundary water cooperation.

Download the draft agenda and the preliminary participants list.

The technical TDA regional technical workshop within implementation of the UNDP-GEF regional project “Integrated Natural Resource Management in the Baikal Basin Transboundary Ecosystem” (the Baikal Project) will be held on 25 April 2013 in Ulaanbaatar (Mongolia).

Download the draft workshop agenda and the preliminary list of participants.

Project is looking for Training Expert in POPs/PTSs (Mongolia). VA is published on UNOPS official web site:

Under implementation of the federal target program "Protection of the Lake Baikal and the socio-economic development of the Baikal natural territory" the Ministry of Natural Resources of the Buryatia Republic and the Baikal Institute of Nature Sciences will organize a meeting for Baikal municipalities and protected areas on 19-20 April 2013 at the International Environmental Education Centre "Istomino", village Istomino, Kabansky district, Buryatiya republic, Russia.

The round table of the State Duma Committee on Natural Resources, Environment and Ecology will be held on April 8, 2013 at 11:00 am in the Small Hall of The State Dume, Okhotny Ryad 1, Moscow, Russia. The topic of this discussion is "Harmonisation of legislation on the protection of Lake Baikal in the federal program "Protection of Lake Baikal and the socio-economic development of the Baikal natural territory for the years 2012-2020".

The main agenda includes a discussion and exchange of opinions on the following issues:

1. The development of the Baikal natural territory as part of the federal goal-oriented program "Protection of Lake Baikal and the socio-economic development of the Baikal natural territory for 2012-2020 years."
2. The enhancement of the federal and regional legal frameworks in the field of environmental protection and rational use of natural resources of the Baikal natural territory in the context of sustainable economic development.

The round table is attended by different stakeholders: state and regional authorities of the Russian Federation; members of the State Duma Committee on Natural Resources, Environment and Ecology; representatives of the State Legal Directorate of the President of the Russian Federation; scientific and NGO organizations.

The detailed Information and registration link

In December 2010, the United Nations General Assembly declared 2013 as the United Nations International Year of Water Cooperation (Resolution A/RES/65/154). In reflection of this declaration, the 2013 World Water Day, which will take place on 22 March 2013, also will be dedicated to water cooperation. Therefore, UN-Water has called upon UNESCO to lead the 2013 United Nations International Year on Water Cooperation, in particular because of the Organization’s unique multidisciplinary approach which blends the natural and social sciences, education, culture and communication. Given the intrinsic nature of water as a transversal and universal element, the United Nations International Year on Water Cooperation naturally would embrace and touch upon all these aspects.

The objective of this International Year is to raise awareness, both on the potential for increased cooperation, and on the challenges facing water management in light of the increase in demand for water access, allocation and services. The Year will highlight the history of successful water cooperation initiatives, as well as identify burning issues on water education, water diplomacy, transboundary water management, financing cooperation, national/international legal frameworks, and the linkages with the Millennium Development Goals. It also will provide an opportunity to capitalize on the momentum created at the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20), and to support the formulation of new objectives that will contribute towards developing water resources that are truly sustainable.

http://www.unwater.org/watercooperation2013/

International Year of Water Cooperation 2013 - Secretary-General's Video Message

Project is looking for Consultant for cattle mortuary design. VA is published on UNOPS official web site:

1A presentation of the toolkit for primary and middle grade students “Baikal’s Little Treasure Chest” will be held on February 21 at the Music and Humanities High School. The presentation is organized by the Baikal Information Center “GRAN” with the participation of school teachers from Ulan-Ude and the Republic of Buryatia, The Russian Ministry of Natural Resources and Ecology and UNDP representatives.

The UNDP/GEF project "Integrated Natural Resource Management in the Baikal Basin Transboundary Ecosystem" has supported All-Russian symposium “Topical problems of analytical chemistry. Analytical methods of environmental objects analysis", which was held in Ulan-Ude during 19-26 August, 2012.
The chairmen of the organizing committee were Academician Yuri Zolotov, Corr. RAS Arnold Tulokhonov and Corr. RAE Stepan Kalmykov. The symposium featured presentations of leading experts in the field of analytical chemistry from Moscow State University, Siberian Federal University (Krasnoyarsk), Institute of Geochemistry and Analytical Chemistry RAS (Moscow), Ural Institute of Metrology (Ekaterinburg) and other institutions.
Current problems of the project were covered by PM Sergey Kudelya on the plenary meeting.
The symposium was attended by more than 300 participants from number of organizations of Buryatia relating to environmental analysis.

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The outline plan for spring parliament session 2013 was approved by The State Duma Committee on Natural Resources, Environment and Ecology on 20 December 2012.

1) Parliamentary hearing on "Legislative support of efficient development of the fishery sector in The Russian Federation" 6 March, Small Hall 11.00 am-15.00 pm V.Yazev, E. Glubokovskaya, S. Kashintseva.

2) Round table on "Harmonization of legislation on the protection of Lake Baikal in the framework of the concept of the federal target program" Protection of Lake Baikal and the socio-economic development of the Baikal natural territory in 2012 - 2020 years. 8 April, Small Hall, 11.00 am -14.00 pm, M. Slipenchuk, T. Velichko.

3) Parliamentary hearings on "Forest Policy in Russia: A View to the Future", 20 May, Small Hall, 10.00 am -13.00 pm, S. Muravlenko, O. Lebedev, A. Saveleva, L. Svinuhova.

4) Parliamentary hearings on "Transboundary Waters: improvement of Russian legislation and international cooperation" 17 June, Small Hall, 10.00 am – 13.00 pm, M. Slipenchuk.