Air Pollution in Russia

Abstract

I made a decision to write research paper from the topic of air pollution in Russia. The air quality of Russia is a very serious problem. So, this paper argues about three things. The first one is that the air pollution at Russia is very serious. The second one is that Russian should make some policy and incremental solutions. The third one is that we should realize the importance of protecting the air. In conclusion, a lot of people get sick from air, and the government and Russian should execute several ways to improve air.

Today, Russian air pollution is a serious pollution. The motive for choosing this topic is that when I was a teenager, I visited Russia one time. It was my first a foreign travel. So, I am interested in all things about Russia more than any other country. At that time, I experience Russian air directly and I sometimes see hazy sky. Russia is an important place in the ecosystem because Russia has plentiful natural resources. Russia inherited environmental problems from the Soviet Union. According to the DOE website, the Soviet Union’s “economy is dependent on a military- industrial complex that is high energy-intensive” (http://www.eia.doe.gov/, 2004, par.2). Today, awareness of the environment grows in Russia. The author said, on March 11, 1999, Russia signed the Kyoto Protocol that is mandates for reducing greenhouse gases (2004, par.20). But Russia is one of the nations that have low quality air more than other place. According to the DOE website (2004), when the USSR demises Russia, carbon dioxide emission was 573.5 million tons (2004, par.18). Also, the author introduces that carbon dioxide emission had gone down to 394.7 million ton in 1997 (2004, par.18). Although the amount of carbon dioxide decrease 31% in five years, Russia still ranks the highest carbon dioxide emitting countries (2004, par.19). There are a lot of causes done by a lot of people in Russia. According to Mr. Gavrilov states that actually, 80~90% industrial companies do not have ecological programs. The other cause is Motor vehicle because it makes main matters of air pollution such as carbon dioxide, nitrogen dioxide and carbon monoxide. In addition, smog is caused by forest fires. Moreover, according to Ivan Volgyes, 10% of air pollution stems from refuse disposal and domestic heating in Western Europe (1974, p.13). Today, a lot of people get sick from air, and the government and Russian should execute several ways to improve air. I plan on writing that three things should be done about the causes of air pollution in Russia.
First, Russian should have new environmental rule and standards. The worst problem of Russia is the public and business cannot see the environment protection system, low industrial pollution fines and most companies do not rate their environmental standing. Therefore, Russia government should make high industrial pollution fines. According to the RIV Novosti, Mr. Gavrilov said that “Industrial pollution fines for ton of prussic acid currently make 205 rubles, and for a ton of potassium cyanide, 5,500 rubles (today’s Central Bank rate is R27.88/$1) (http://web.lexis-nexis.com, 2004, par. 4). The situation made that people do not care toxic waste that can affect air. For example, If the pollution fines is R27.88/$1000, many plants would be afraid the fine. And they try to set up equipments that can reduce bad things that can affect air. Also, when people recognize high fine, people realize the importance of air in this situation. And, Russian government tries to make a lot of cleaner companies using repetitive evaluation in Russian industry because the evaluations of repeat promote air quality. For example, if government does repetitive evaluation about smoke, plants try to make less emit smoke. So, Russian has better air quality than before. In addition, if Russia shows ratings publicly to attract foreign investment, Russian plants will have a lot of investors that is profitable economically.
Second, the government should make policy for reducing automobile’s use. Air pollution is getting worse in main cities such as Moscow and St. Petersburg because of motor vehicle. According to Irina Titova, in spite of the industry is decreasing, air pollution has increase about 50% for ten years (2003, par.2). And author mentions that the nitrogen dioxide is 79 percent upper the allow level in main city. Also, author states that “Between 2001 and 2002 the concentration of carbon monoxide in the cities in the European part of Russia more than doubled” (2003, par.9). And these results affect human health. According to the Irina Titova, the number of adults with vascular and heart diseases are risen about 10~15% for 5 years in St. Petersburg (2003, par.4). Also, author states that the rate, which the number of children with vascular defects and congenital heart, increase about 10~15% in St. Petersburg (2003, par. 4). Therefore, Russia needs emission testing and odd/even day driving bans for reducing car. In Korea, every person, who have car, have to a emission test. So, My father usually checks degree of car’s pollutant. When a technical expert found over average pollutant in his car, my father has to change an exhaust system. Therefore, if government makes policy that is performance of a duty of emission car test, a lot of car will have low pollutant than before because of a periodical inspection. And Russia will reduce the main material that affects air badly. Also, my country execute the policy that is odd/even day driving. When many Korean try to obey the policy in Seoul, Seoul could reduce degree of air pollution. Moreover, Seoul could solve a little traffic jam. If government recommends odd/even day driving bans in Russia as Korea, the number of using car will decline in the center city and Russia’s carbon dioxide, nitrogen dioxide and carbon monoxide will decrease. Finally, Russian will have good quality air.
Third, government and the public should recognize a possibility of danger forest fire to air condition, and people should not try to make forest fire. Moscow’s worst smog is serious problems. According to the CNN website, “There are five large blazes and 188 smaller fires in the region surrounding Moscow – many of them below ground in smoldering peat bogs – and almost 900 fires, including 200 large ones burning across western Russia” (http://archives.cnn.com, 2002, par. 16). Also, the author introduces that everybody chokes with thick smoke from forest fire (2002, par. 2, 12). The main cause of smog is forest fire in Russia. Fires and cigarettes cause Forest fire. So, we can know the effect of fire. Today, Moscow step up to against smog however, the government has lack of action. Therefore, government makes law that makes illegality of cigarettes in forest because the law will save our life and a lot of resources in Russia. Many people usually drop their cigarettes everywhere. If government makes smoking prohibit area nearby and in forest as high punishment such as a sentence of 1years, people do not smoke again and do not throw away cigarettes in forest area. Moreover people careful with small fire because small fire does continue big fire that harms forest ecosystem and human health. If people realize small fire quickly, we can put out a fire immediately and we can prevent an enormous loss of resources in Russia forest.
In conclusion, Russian air pollution is very serious. Therefore, Russian should have new environmental rule and standards. And the government should make policy for reducing automobile’s use. Also, government and the public should recognize a possibility of danger forest fire to air condition, and people should not try to make forest fire. So, We should strive improving air condition in Russia using these ways. If the air quality is getting dirty in Russia, the air condition will affect nearby countries and all living things and then people will have a lot of problem from this situation.

BIBLIOGRAPHY
For a Book-
Ivan Volgyes. (1974). Environmental deterioration in the Soviet Union and Eastern
Europe. New York
For an Article-
Russia: Environmental Issues. Retrieved May 2, 2005, from http://www.eia.doe.gov/e
mEu/cabs/russenv.html
RIA Novsti (Dec 20, 2004). 90% of Russian industry enterprises have no ecological
programs. Lexis-Nexis. Retrieved May 2, 2005 from: http://web.lexis-nexis.com/univese/printdoc
Russia: City air pollution rising, hits health. Retrieved May 2, 2005, from
http://www.sptimes.ru/archive/times/916/news/n_10838.htm
Moscow steps up fight against smog Retrieved May 2, 2005, from
http://archives.cnn.com/2002/WORLD/europe/09/05/russia.smog/index.html