Sochi: declaration on restoration of Mzymta River ecosystem signed

The actors of the Olympic construction in Sochi, Krasnodar Territory, have committed themselves to restore the basin ecosystem of the Mzymta River, where sports-and-tourism facilities and roads are built.

The declaration on restoration of the ecosystem of the river basin was signed by the officials of the Open Joint-Stock Company (OJSC) "RZD" (Russian Railways), OJSC "Gazprom", OJSC "Krasnaya Polyana", Limited Liability Company (LLC) Sporting Complex (SC) "Rosa Khutor", OJSC "UES (United Energy Systems) FSK", and members of the Organizing Committee of the "Sochi-2014" Olympiad. These Olympic builders undertake to implement, for their own funds and resources, the comprehensive plans for recovery of the Mzymta River basin, which supplies drinking water to the city of Sochi.

The document is based on the recommendations made by the experts of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), who prepared a report on the impact of the construction of Olympic facilities in Sochi on the ecology of the region. According to Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Kozak, who was present at the signing ceremony of the document, "the duly assessments of the UNEP experts differ from some extreme estimates that may be heard from some NGOs."

The UNEP experts provide specific guidance to the participants of the project "Sochi-2014" and offer four main strategic directions: "Games in harmony with nature"," Games without climate changes"," Games without wastes" and "Games of enlightenment".

All the projects under the three-year-long environmental program "Sochi-2014" will be realized not only by the participants in the Olympic construction, who signed the declaration, but also by activists of public organizations interested in preservation and restoration of Sochi environment.

Let us remind you that the meeting of the UNEP experts with activists public and ecological organizations, governmental officials, RZD and "Olympstroy" specialists was held in Sochi on January 20. It touched on the problems of assessing and compensating the impact on the environment and ecological safety in the context of building the Olympic objects, combined Adler-Krasnaya Polyana highway and landfill of solid wastes. Besides, the audience discussed the issue of pollution of the Dzykhra River, cutting green plantings and several other issues.