News
Publish date: June 4, 1999
Written by: Igor Kudrik
News
Japan has expressed an initiative to increase co-operation with Russia on nuclear submarine decommissioning in the Russian Far East. Japanese Foreign Minister, Masahiko Koumura, who visited Russia in the end of May, talked this proposal over with his Russian counterpart, Igor Ivanov. The Russian side was reportedly positive to the initiative despite a controversial treason case orchestrated by the Security Police (FSB) in Vladivostok.
Japan started its nuclear safety assistance to Russia by pledging $100 million in April 1993. A part of this contribution was spent to build a mobile floating liquid waste processing facility, which is now reportedly completed and commissioned at Zvezda naval yard near Vladivostok.
A new comprehensive plan brought up by Japan suggests conducting feasibility studies for the following projects:
Until now, the United States Department of Defence was the most active in assisting the Russian Pacific Fleet to dismantle old nuclear submarines. The projects were carried out through Co-operative Threat Reduction program.
Proposal accepted despite spy case
The Russian officials had no problem in accepting Japanese proposal despite a controversial spy case now in court in Vladivostok. A military journalist, Grigory Pasko, stands charged with treason for divulging information on radiation hazards associated with operation of the Pacific Fleet. The journalist faces up to 12 years in prison on charges put forward by the FSB. Pasko’s defence team says the charges are unfounded and fabricated.
Recent attacks on Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant "mark the beginning of a new and gravely dangerous front of the war," the UN atomic agency's director general said last week.
After years of inaction, Germany is working on its Carbon Management Strategy to resolve how CCS can play a role in climate action in industry. At the end of February, the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action published first key points and a proposal to amend the law Kohlenstoffdioxid Speicherungsgesetz (KSpG). Bellona Deutschland, who was actively involved in the previous stakeholder dialogue submitted a statement in the association hearing.
In the midst of a global discussion on whether natural gas should be used as a transitional fuel and whether emissions from its extraction, production, transport and use are significantly less than those from other fossil fuels, Russia has developed ambitious plans to increase its own production of liquified natural gas (LNG) in the Arctic – a region with 75% of proven gas reserves in Russia – to raise its share in the international gas trade.
In this news digest, we monitor events that impact the environment in the Russian Arctic. Our main focus lies in identifying the factors that contribute to pollution risks and climate change.