OREANDA-NEWS. January 9, 2013. Dmitry Medvedev's opening remarks:

Good afternoon, colleagues. We are starting this year by discussing a very important subject, the environment. This is really a priority for Russia’s development. I have called you all here to give a boost to the programme the Year of Environmental Protection, 2013, and discuss a number of events. The authorities have already spent some time working on this, but some aspects may require amendments, which is why we have invited experts and specialists along. We must also think about what should be done next, and not only what we are going to do this year.

I don’t want to state the obvious. Everybody understands how much depends on the state of the environment. Environmental issues influence living standards, the state of the outside world, life span. But I would like to draw your attention to something. Some ten years ago, as I remember, the problems of environmental protection were not a priority for us, but even caused some indignation: “Feed us first, then tackle the environment.” Now things have changed completely. Now everyone pays attention to environmental issues – the state, public structures, opinion leaders, and representatives of oppositional political forces. And this is normal. This is global practice and we are already close to that level of concern.

But it is more important to act than to talk. Allow me to remind you that in 2012 the President has approved the state policy on Russia’s environmental development until 2030. This is a strategic programme aimed at promoting environmentally-centered economic growth and preserving (in any case, trying to preserve) a healthy, natural environment.

On December 27, 2012, the Government approved a programme which I signed off – Environmental Protection until 2020. It stipulates some basic targets, as well as financing arrangements for nature conservation and correcting the damage made by human economic activity.

I think it would be a good idea to discuss this programme as well because it should not be taken for granted – it can certainly be revised if there is a good organisational or environmental reason for doing so. Meeting these targets requires everyone’s combined efforts, from people and from the Government, including federal agencies, regional authorities and local activists. So we will concentrate on this.

The Government has also adopted a plan for the Year of Environmental Protection. I must repeat that nature conservation should not be used as a populist policy. We need to achieve some tangible targets, so that the situation changes and people see improvements. This is our real goal.

To succeed, we must keep working to reduce the negative impact on the natural environment, to preserve and restore unique natural sites and reserves; to improve environmental oversight and monitoring, and to enforce environmental safety laws and regulations more strongly. This is especially important.

Although fines and criminal punishments cannot solve everything, some people still ought to be fined or jailed because there are things happening in Russia which would be absolutely unimaginable elsewhere in the world. Well, maybe there are a couple of countries where these kinds of things are possible, but I won’t name them now, just so as not to offend. Anyway my point is that a developed country would never dare treat its natural environment in such barbarian manner. I am not only referring to companies and industrial facilities. I am also talking about people’s everyday attitude. This aspect may be even of greater importance because at the end of the day, it is people who manage companies.

I have not said anything new or made any revelations. Let us now talk in general about what we need to do in 2013. Let’s treat this as an initial meeting on the Year of Environmental Protection project.