Transcript TOPIC 1 ON THE MOVE

TOPIC 1
ON THE MOVE
Topic1: ON THE MOVE
• The conflict between Gazprom, a natural
gas extraction company- therefore of
Russia- and the indigenous Nenets, a
migratory tribe wishing to continue their
nomadic life in a clean environment without
interferences from the company workers
(poachers etc) and its installations. Along
with the tribe stand the organizations for the
conservation of the Natural Environment
Solution.
The various factors:
The Nenets tribe –
Environmental Organizations
The Gazprom Company
Russian Government
The aim of this project:
To suggest solutions regarding:
-Conflicts of various
organizations
-Environmental contamination
(gas) – Climate change – Ice
melting
-Workers of the company
(poachers)
-Noise pollution –
Crowdedness
-Difficult for Nenets to survive
due to the destruction of
migratory paths, animal
death, tradition alteration
-Consequences to the
environment (fauna, flora, etc)
NENETS:
• The Nenets is a migratory tribe in Russia
• Its population is around 42000 people
• Spoken languages are the Russian language
and the “nenet”.
• They breed reindeers and they use them for
nutrition, clothing, transportation and as their
main occupation. For example men are
dressed with jackets made of the skin of four
reindeers.
• Their droves consist up to 700 reindeers and
they migrate with the Nenets during the
migration.
• This tribe teaches the
respect of the land and
its resources
• Children have learned
how to survive through
adverse conditions
since they are young.
Handicraft, hunting.
fishing, etc are the
main occupations of
the boys while the girls
stay near the tent,
helping their mother,
cooking etc.
• Their economy is based on the sale of reindeer
meat in other areas of Russia or other countries like
China.
• During the communism and the Stalin dominance,
they were forced to abandon their itinerant way of
life and to settle into villages in order to breed
reindeers in the farms and to be controlled. As a
result, their tradition and language were threatened
and assimilated
• After returning to their traditional way of life, they
now face similar threats due to other
circumstances.
NENETS’ COMPLAINS
• Despite the fact that Gazprom has taken
some actions by providing transportation,
building schools for their children and
bridges on the pipes, they helped them
economically for something they were doing
it for free, for example looking after their
children. Nenets are not satisfied and their
needs are not fulfilled. What they seek is to
ensure the conservation of Tundra which
means a non-polluted area so that their
migratory paths will not be destroyed by the
company´s activities or the area they settle
due to climate change. They desire in
general to conserve their way of life as well
as to remain the only residents of Yamal
Peninsula wherever they are.
Gazprom:
• Gazprom is the main company exporting
natural gas and oil in the world , since the
reserves supply the entire Europe.
• The geologic survey, production,
transportation, storage, processing and
trading of electronically and thermal energy
are some of its important business´
activities.
• Its aim is to ensure the safe, effective and
balanced supply of natural gas and other
energy sources to the consumers.
SUGGESTIONS TO GAZPROM :
• Must conserve the resources in order to reduce environmental
consequences and conserve the climate levels.
• Must conserve energy and use natural gas electrical and thermal
energy, oil and the boiler effectively during its activities.
• Cooperation with other companies exporting natural gas and oil in
order to obtain coordinated group actions for the protection of the
environment.
• Some research foundations intensify their efforts to introduce
efficient and environmentally beneficial technologies.
• Developing mutual international cooperation in order to reduce the
industrial consequences to the environment and preparing projects
about the climate changes they cause.
• There is a variety of suggestions and measures that could be taken
to project the environment. But are they applied at all?
Ways to face the problem:
• Personally, I think that since the problem
already exists , we must find ways to
restrict it. Therefore, Russia must impose
some laws to protect the Nenets tribe as
well as the environment because it
consists not only a local but a global
environmental problem as well. Due to
climate changes the melting of ice and the
rise of sea levels many countries all over
the planet are in danger.
• First of all Russia needs to raise concern, realize the
seriousness of the problem, and identify it as a
priority. The government needs to know that
besides the disorder caused by the Nenets who
complain constantly, the company is partly
responsible for the climate change because of the
environmental pollution. This may cause some
severe consequences, for example the risk of the
railway destruction due to the permafrost melt down
or the concern that part of Russia will turn into an
impenetrable swap.
• The GAZPROM company owns a lot of units
extracting oil all functioning at the same time. The
Russian government can set some limits to the
company concerning the pollution caused by its
activities. In this way, the company will be forced to
reduce the number of units functioning and will use
them gradually when the stock of the units
functioning will be used up. For example if there are
ten units, only half of them would function.
Consequently, the pollution will be less and
eventually, it might not be necessary to use the
whole stock since efforts have been undertaken to
find renewable energy sources.
• At the end of the year the government
must appoint ecology qualified
individuals to examine the levels of
pollution caused by the company. In
case it´s over the limit will be imposed
fines accordingly.
Suggested Actions
• The company could organize seminars
to improve awareness to the
employees for the tribe. Meanwhile if
the company workers would continue
poaching, then the company could
fire them.
• Also, GAZPROM in the case of
implementation of law mentioned above
would be forced to implement the
suggestions concerning the protection of the
environment in order to avoid the fines.
Such suggestions would be the use of
alternative energy sources or the capturing
and storage of CO2 “constantly and safely"
aiming the reduce of facto0ry emissions.
• Since the Νenets are facing some
difficulties conserving their land and
culture, they could move temporarily
in the area of Tunguska Basin where
the conditions are similar to the ones in
the area of Yamal Peninsula until the
stock of oil will be exhausted or even
the conditions would be improved.
• I assume that ignorance is also the cause of
disputes. The company ignores the tragic
consequences of the gas and pollution on
the environment. Nevertheless, the Nenets
ignore the significance and the necessity of
the oil and natural gas exported by
Gazprom for the entire Europe. The
company would help them to realise the use
of oil, being a raw material by supplying
them a small quantity and explaining them
how it is used and how useful it is. They will
then realise the European way of life and will
be more open- minded. Their demands will
be reduced and they could end up in a fair
agreement with the company.
• Moreover, if the Nenets were given
certain areas with the aid and consent
of the government and the entrance of
foreigners wasn't allowed they would
conserve their tranquillity and solitary
life. They would be then protected
from the alteration of their cultural
identity. They can move and settle to
these areas during the migratory
periods.
• Members of all countries should strive
to use renewable energy. The oil will not be
as necessary as it is today and will not
be used as the main source of energy. As
a result, the pollution will be a
lot less and Gazprom will not have to extract
all the oil reserves. Gazprom could
start investing in renewable energy sources
which are the energy of the future.
CONCLUSION
These are my personal views and perceptions on how to resolve the
problem. If each side behaves based on mutual aid and respect,
then the solution will serve everyone. The need, therefore, of
implementing these measures SOON is significant; otherwise the
consequences will be terrible for the environment and the
coexistence between Gazprom and the Nenets will be a constant
problem in the area of Yamal peninsula.
This problem does not concern just Russia but it is extended to the
entire humanity. When ignoring the protection of the environment and
its unlimited destruction, the consequences will be essential and will
probably cause the end of the world.
Let' s not think about the present, we must think about the future and
the generations following. There is hope only if each one of us
changes their way of thinking and improve awareness and every day
practice regarding environmental issues.