Alla Bolotova

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Environmental Movement in Russian Megapolis
Development of Sustainable Infrastructure and
Environmental Awareness Case study of solid
waste management in St.Petersburg

• Alla Bolotova
• European University at St.Petersburg
• Centre of Independent Social Research
• St.Petersburg, Russia

IHDP Workshop-2002, Bonn
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Social dimension of urban environmental problems

• City as a space where different groups of actors
  interact and look for compromises and solutions
  of problems, which could be relevant to local
  context.

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The research question

• Which role do environmental movement play in the
  transition of Russian cities to sustainability?

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Case study
The problem Solid waste utilisation in the
city of St.Petersburg
The actors Environmental movement
organisations

• How do environmental movement organisations
  contribute to the solution of solid waste
  utilisation problem in St.Petersburg?

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The population of St.Petersburg 4 mln 600
thousands

• Number of Environmental Non-Governmental
  organisations in St.Petersburg - 160

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System of waste utilisation in St.Petersburg
The system of selective collection of waste isn't
properly organised in St.Petersburg. The solid
wastes are collected without further separating.

• At the moment garbage is either disposed or
  incinerated.
• Volume of solid waste, which is produced in
  St.Petersburg 5 mln. m³ per year.

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Directions of environmental movement activity for
solution of waste problem

• development of sustainable infrastructure in the
  city

increasing of public environmental awareness
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How do environmental NGOs participate in the
development of sustainable infrastructure?

• analyse the present solid waste utilisation
  system in St.Petersburg, problematize its
  un-sustainability in public discourse

• examine selective collection of waste and
  recycling systems in Western European countries

• communicate with different actors
  (municipalities, business), spread the
  information on successful experience

• initiate local pilot projects in cooperation
  with municipalities and disposal companies

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The example of local sustainable initiative
Eco-house in St.Petersburg

• urban farming -
• rooftop gardening
• recycling system

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Results of experiment

• The urban garden was planted on the roof of
  5-stored building in a residential area

• Separate containers for different kind of
  garbage are prepared and installed (including
  bins for compost)

• Environmental activists have organised trainings
  for inhabitants of house and explained them how
  to separate the garbage

• The contracts with disposal companies have been
  signed

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How do environmental NGOs increase environmental
awareness?

• publications in media on necessity of waste
  recycling
• publication of green informational bulletins
  spreading of information about successes in
  separate garbage collection and recycling in
  Russia, advices on environmentally friendly
  practices
• public actions dedicated to solid waste
  utilisation

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The example series of public actions Greenpeace
- St.Petersburg

• Urban parks waste removal
• The educational campaign at schools

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Greenpeace largely involves children in public
actions on waste problem, symbolically seeing
them as future generations
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On the Greenpeace initiative the separate
collecting of wastes was organized in a school at
St.Petersburg
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Conclusions

• Environmental movement - criticizing actor, part
  of civil society, which set the question on
  un-sustainability of existing infrastructure on
  the agenda
• They bridge the gap between municipalities,
  business, western experts and citizens
• The transnational character of environmental
  movement determinates its specific role in
  solution of environmental problems in Russian
  cities

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Thank you very much for your attention!