The environmental situation in the world is on the verge of disaster. And although numerous “green” organizations, funds for the conservation of nature and its resources, state institutions of all countries are trying to overcome the consequences of human activities, it is not possible to radically correct the situation. The thoughtless use of the wealth of the Earth, the irresponsibility, material interest of the largest corporations, globalization lead to the fact that the environmental situation does not improve.
Ecological problems in the world
In fairness, I want to note that countries with developed economies, high living standards can boast a high level of environmental protection, and an environmental culture. In many countries of Europe, America, and Japan, they try to minimize the consequences of human handiwork. At the same time, the level of education of citizens who are trying to attach at the household level to processes contributing to the preservation and cleanliness of the environment is increasing. But at the same time, serious gaps in such activities in developing countries, and even more so in the lagging regions of the planet, are completely killing all attempts to somehow protect nature. Thoughtless deforestation, pollution of water bodies by industrial waste, waste products, and an absolutely irresponsible attitude towards the land fund are evident.
The poor state of ecology is a problem that can affect everyone. Such distant troubles as the thinning of the ozone layer, atmospheric pollution or the melting of glaciers cannot make it clear to a person that he is making a mistake. But outbreaks of epidemics, adverse climatic conditions, dirty water and fresh agricultural land that do not give a good harvest, could - these are all direct results of our hands.
Ecology of Russia
Unfortunately, Russia belongs to the list of countries in which the ecological situation is the worst. This state of affairs is due to various factors and manifests itself in all areas. Traditionally, the greatest damage to indicators comes from the impact of industry. Economic crises that plague both the global and domestic economies contribute one after another to a decline in production. It is logical to assume that this should reduce emissions of harmful substances into the outside world, but alas, the boomerang effect is triggered here . The lack of working capital forces enterprises to save even more. This happens, first of all, due to the liquidation of modernization programs, the installation of treatment facilities.
But not only in large megacities and industrial regions, the situation causes great concern. Uneven deforestation of coniferous forests, neglect of leaf plantations, negligence of local authorities and citizens provoke the destruction of 20% of the total world stock of woodland.
The discharge of wastewater into rivers and lakes, the artificial drainage of marshy areas, the plowing of coastal areas and sometimes vandal mining is a reality that exists, and the environmental situation in Russia is deteriorating daily in this regard.
How to assess the real situation in the environment?
The complexity of the approach in the analysis of the state of the environment is the key to an adequate result. The study of only certain areas and the focal fight against pollution of land, water and air will never bring a positive result on a global scale. Assessment of the environmental situation is the primary task of the government. Based on this assessment, a long-term strategy should be developed with the implementation of programs at all levels.
Only true and adequate monitoring, which will be carried out by truly independent experts in the field of ecology, can give a clear picture. Alas, the realities are such that even world-famous organizations are often subsidiary branches of large corporations and work under their dictation, taking a position favorable to the monopolist.
In Russia, the situation is exacerbated due to the high level of corruption on the part of public services that perform both controlling and executive functions. Achieving legitimate decisions to protect nature is becoming an overwhelming task. There are no means or mechanisms for this, and most importantly, the will of officials. Until the senior management is personally interested in the environmental situation in Russia breaking the deadlock, real transformations are unlikely to happen.
Ministry of Natural Resources of the Russian Federation
In each country, there are both state and public organizations that deal with environmental issues at their own expense. Which ones do their job better is a complex and controversial issue. Definitely a good practice when the environmental protection apparatus in the country is authorized by advanced functions.
The Ministry of Natural Resources and Ecology has existed in Russia since 2008. It reports directly to the government. The scope of this organization is not very wide. The ministry has two functions - legislative and controlling. Direct activities are carried out by creating a regulatory framework, according to which there is control, management of enterprises, state facilities falling under special status (reserves, reserves), mining capacities in the field of development and extraction of resources. Unfortunately, there is no authority that would monitor the implementation of the requirements, take active steps in case of violation of the law. Thus, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Ecology takes a passive position regarding the preservation of the country's ecosystem.
Earth is our everything!
It is no coincidence that the agro-industrial complex occupies one of the most important places in the country's economy. Agricultural land covers more than 600 million hectares. This figure is colossal, no other country in the world has such a resource, wealth. Powers that really care about their soil, intended for growing crops used in the food and light industry, prefer not to exploit the land mercilessly.
The unreasonable use of fertilizers, which is the result of the pursuit of high yields, obsolete heavy machinery that violates the integrity of the soil, deterioration of the chemical composition of the soil not only in fields and gardens, but also on non-agricultural lands - these are all the fruits of human intervention, they directly show how much we the world is indifferent. Undoubtedly, in order to feed such a huge number of people, farmers are forced to plow every patch of land, but at the same time, the approach and attitude to it must be radically revised.
Modern methods of doing business based on farms in developed countries are arranged in such a way that land owners take care of their “nurse”, and as a return they get higher productivity, respectively, and income.
Water situation
The beginning of the 2000s was marked by the realization that freshwater sources around the world were in a catastrophic state. Such an environmental problem and ecological situation as pollution and shortage of drinking water is fraught with the extinction of humans as a species. The seriousness of the issue made us take a more responsible approach to monitoring water quality. However, weak attempts to bring water resources to normal levels have not yet been successful.
The fact is that the southern and central regions have the highest population. They are concentrated and the largest industrial capacity of the country, the highest rate of agricultural development. The number of reservoirs suitable for supporting the national industry, on the contrary, is not as high as necessary. The intense pressure on the existing rivers has led to the fact that some of them have practically disappeared, some are so polluted that their use is categorically impossible.
There is an improvement in the environmental situation, but this applies to reservoirs that are taken under strict control. The figures that characterize the general situation are catastrophic:
- Only 12% of water bodies, according to ecologists, fall under the category of conditionally clean.
- The amount of harmful impurities, such as pesticides, heavy metals, in some water bodies exceeds hundreds of times the permissible norms.
- More than half of the country's population uses water that is not suitable for drinking for domestic purposes. Moreover, almost 10% of the population uses poison rather than life-giving moisture for cooking. This provokes outbreaks of hepatitis epidemics, intestinal infections and other waterborne diseases.
What are we breathing?
Averaged indicators show that the current environmental situation in the airspace has improved slightly in recent years. However, the statistics are good only on paper, in reality, the decrease in harmful emissions occurred at an insignificant level, and in some regions it increased generally. Every year, 18 thousand enterprises across the country emit more than 24 million tons of harmful substances into the atmosphere.
The most critical environmental situation is in such cities as Krasnoyarsk, Moscow, Kemerovo, Grozny, Arkhangelsk, Novosibirsk. The list of cities with an adverse atmospheric background totals 41 positions across the country.
In addition to the constant emission of gases and smoke, due to the increased number of vehicles on the roads, the intensive activity of enterprises, another factor appears that undermines the environmental situation - these are accidental emissions. Great deterioration, obsolescence of treatment facilities become the reason why more than 40% of the population have respiratory diseases, almost 5% - cancer.
Urboecology
It is city dwellers who most often suffer from bad air, dirty water, and a lack of food marked as "environmentally friendly." In large cities, for example in Moscow, officials are trying to establish a framework for enterprises, create modern treatment plants, and modernize collector systems and water supply. Such actions of the authorities managed to raise the capital this year from 68th place to 33rd in terms of pollution in the overall rating of the country's cities. But at the same time, these measures are not enough. Every summer, residents of large cities suffer from smog, smoke, and a high level of gas in the atmosphere.
City sprawl and high population concentration in a small area threatens to deplete natural resources in urban areas. Unrealized energy conservation policies and failure to comply with international standards regarding safe industrial activities also undermine the balance in nature. Thus, the ecological situation of the city cannot please.
A vivid example of the consequences of poor ecology can be found by looking at the statistics of childhood diseases over several decades. A high level of congenital pathologies, acquired diseases, a weak immune system - these are the realities that you have to face daily.
And the adult population of cities has cause for concern. The life expectancy of city dwellers and inhabitants of territories falling into the category of environmentally unfavorable is on average 10-15 years lower.
Garbage collection, recycling and recycling
The problem of environmental pollution by waste is not new and literally lies on the surface. The trend towards waste disposal has outlived itself and is leading to the systematic transformation of the country into one large burial ground. Understanding that at the pace at which people and industry produce waste, this prospect is getting closer, the Ministry of Ecology decided to create a new direction in its work. Namely, the organization of centers for the collection, sorting and processing of various waste materials.
All the same West was preoccupied with this issue several decades ago. The amount of non-recyclable waste from them does not exceed 20%, while in Russia this figure is four times higher. But according to the optimistic plans of the country's leadership, the situation will change and by 2020 it will reach full-fledged waste processing with its subsequent implementation in industry and energy. Such a statement of the assignment is very pleasing, because if ambitious plans are implemented, one can hope for favorable environmental situations and conditions in the country.
The disasters of recent years
In the meantime, you have to reap the benefits and be content with what you have. And the realities are such that the current environmental situation is annually undermined and erupted in different places, showing all the gaps in the environmental protection system.
According to activists, in recent years, residents of Russia had to face problems in different regions of the country. So, in the Sverdlovsk region, in the Zhelezanka river, the level of iron and manganese in water exceeds the norm by 22 and 25 thousand times, respectively! Such figures do not lend themselves to any common sense, and the situation is getting worse. Despite the fact that local authorities are inactive.
Frequent cases of fuel release during its production and transportation also clearly demonstrate examples of environmental situations. Oil, fuel oil, spilling over the water, leads to the death of birds, animals, pollution of both the reservoirs themselves and groundwater. It also happened when an accident occurred in November with the tanker Nadezhda off the coast of Sakhalin.
Environmentalists around the world are sounding the alarm to save Lake Baikal. The pride of Russia may soon partially turn into a swamp. If detergents, sewage from collectors get into its water, it provokes abundant flowering of water. Toxic substances do not just pollute the water, but become the cause of the extinction of the unique flora and various living organisms living in the lake.
Ways to solve problems in ecology
The environmental situation in Russia requires early intervention. Passive surveillance, which the state is now engaged in, is fraught with serious problems. The main paths that need to be developed relate to absolutely all levels of a person.
It is very important to give birth to the foundations of an ecological culture in every citizen. After all, even the best bills and programs of officials will not be able to overcome the problem, if this does not concern society. Although often it is it that deals with the elimination of catastrophes, the cleansing of coastal zones, parks, recreation areas, which cannot but rejoice.
The introduction of energy-efficient technologies at all levels, from private households to large industrial enterprises, is a priority task that should be solved in the coming years.
Issues of using natural resources, their extraction, restoration cannot remain unresolved. In order to leave the possibility of existence for future generations, it is necessary not to rely entirely on the independent revival of its natural wealth. Man differs from other inhabitants of the planet in that he is intelligent, which means that this mind needs to be shown not only for consumption, but also for creating something worthwhile!