Putin Says Nature Conservation in Far East and Arctic is a National Priority

VLADIVOSTOK, September 3. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin said that nature conservation in the Far East and the Arctic is among the country’s priorities.

"Another issue, which is important for the protection of public health, for environmental well-being and nature preservation, is also one of our priorities. <…> We will ensure that strict environmental requirements and standards are followed when building infrastructure, industrial facilities and developing new deposits," the president said at the plenary session of the Eastern Economic Forum (EEF).

Putin announced plans to "further cut harmful emissions in the Far Eastern industrial centers." "The general cleanup of the Arctic will continue, including the removal of old equipment and debris accumulated over past decades, as well as the clearing of industrial waste and landfills. We will pay special attention to the protection of sensitive ecosystems, such as Lake Baikal, our great Far Eastern rivers - the Amur and the Lena - as well as to the preservation of the Amur tiger, the Far Eastern leopard and other rare species that form a unique natural heritage of the region and the entire country," the Russian leader noted.