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Round Table Meeting with Environmental NGOs, Riga, 14 May 2008Nord Stream has received praise from environmental NGOs (non-governmental organisations) for transparency and responsiveness to their concerns. The comments came at a round table meeting with Baltic Sea region NGOs in Riga, Latvia, on 14 May 2008, which was designed to update them on the status of the pipeline project and discuss concerns raised by the environmental community. Nord Stream provided detailed reports on route optimisation, environmental surveys and international consultations held in accordance with the Espoo Convention, which governs environmental impact assessment in a transboundary context. The meeting in Riga followed the “Forum of Baltic Sea States NGOs” from 13–14 May 2008, in the run-up to the 7th Baltic Sea States Summit, which also took place in the Latvian capital at the beginning of June 2008. The forum was attended by representatives of environmental NGOs from Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Russia and Sweden, including the Baltic Environmental Forum Group, Russian Regional Environmental Center, Estonian Green party, Swedish MILKAS, Russian Green World, Centre for Environmental Initiatives, TEIA, as well as other institutions. Nord Stream experts updated the audience on the ongoing environmental surveys and research in the Baltic Sea, as well as the progress of the project planning. The European-Russian joint venture reaffirmed it will make all data gathered for the pipeline project available through HELCOM (governing body of the “Convention on the Protection of the Marine Environment of the Baltic Sea Area”). The results of the comprehensive surveys carried out by Nord Stream will prompt, and support, further research of the Baltic Sea ecosystem. The environmental community is focussed on the potential impact of constructing and operating the pipeline, as well as the permitting process in different countries, especially the EIA process in Russia. Even though Russia has not ratified the Espoo Convention, it will follow all the procedures under the Convention with respect to the Nord Stream project. Environmental NGOs are concerned about the possible pipeline route optimisation near the planned Ingermanland Nature Reserve. Nord Stream experts emphasised that they are ready to discuss those concerns in more detail and want more direct cooperation and information exchange with NGOs. Noting the detailed information presented by Nord Stream, participants described the project as one of the most transparent in the Baltic Sea region. The company’s cooperative approach, they said, will help preserve the Baltic Sea’s unique environment. Vera Ovcharenko, from Russian Green World and the international NGO Coalition Clean Baltic, commented: "This is the first time we have been present at a meeting where company experts were very attentive to the questions and comments received from environmental officials." The participants of the Riga meeting agreed to hold further round table discussions involving Nord Stream and Baltic Sea region environmental agencies. Comments made at these meetings will be taken into account during the project's implementation. Presentations can be downloaded here: Nord Stream Presentation: NGO meeting in Riga - Opening (eng) Nord Stream Presentation: NGO meeting in Riga - Environment - impact of seabed intervention works (eng) |
