On November 27, as part of the XXVIII International Forum-Exhibition «Russian Industrialist», the Expoforum hosted a «Shirt-sleeve meeting» «Environmental potential of the regions. Industrial ecology and investments».

Rashid Ismailov, Chairman of the Russian Ecological Society, Daria Nekrasova, Acting Minister of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Ecology of the Ulyanovsk Region, Pavel Isaev, Deputy General Director of «Severstal PJSC», Andrey Samusevich, Deputy Chairman of the Committee on Nature Management, Environmental Protection and Environmental Safety of St. Petersburg, Irina Frolova, Deputy Minister of Industrial Policy of the Republic of Crimea took part in the informal discussion.

Rashid Ismailov said that a new national project «Environmental well-being» will be launched in Russia in 2025. It provides for all areas of environmental protection: conservation of water resources, waste management, protection of forests, conservation of biodiversity, etc.

«All investment programs today should be environmentally oriented. It is important for businesses to be integrated into the environmental agenda. Therefore, the national project «Environmental well-being» provides for a number of activities, including for industrial companies – clean air, construction of sewage treatment plants, etc. The government has embarked on the greening of industry», Ismailov said.

According to the Chairman of the Russian Ecological Society, the environmental situation in the country is changing for the better because business consciousness has changed. A reputation in terms of ecology is important for business today. At the same time, the attitude of society towards environmental problems has also changed. People have become more involved in solving environmental problems.

Rashid Ismailov also listed the regions where the authorities demonstrate the greatest involvement in the environmental agenda and the best dynamics in solving environmental problems. He included the Chelyabinsk, Omsk, Tambov, Leningrad Regions, Krasnoyarsk and Perm krai, and the Republic of Karelia.

«In these regions, the authorities understand the essence of the federal environmental policy and actively solve problems on the ground», Ismailov explained.

Andrey Samusevich believes that the environmental agenda has intensified in St. Petersburg in recent years. New principles of municipal solid waste management, water resources management, and environmental monitoring are being developed. There is a transition to modern and accurate domestic measuring instruments.

«The issue of biodiversity conservation and sustainable management of specially protected natural areas (SPNA) is particularly relevant in St. Petersburg. Despite the highly urbanized urban environment and dense buildings, we have wildlands. They are the basis of the green framework of our metropolis. It is planned to create at least three new protected areas by 2030», Samusevich said.

The Deputy Chairman of the Committee on Environmental Management, Environmental Protection and Environmental Safety of St. Petersburg added that the city is developing projects on ecological tourism.

«In the coming years, we will have 7 new ecological routes. 5 of them will be shared with the Leningrad region. They provide for walking, cycling, and even water transportation for ecotourists», Samusevich said. 

He also said that one of the key areas of the Committee’s activities is regulatory support for business and industry. Because it is necessary to comply with new federal and regional environmental reporting requirements.

«St. Petersburg is a balanced region in terms of the environmental situation. But there are also certain difficulties with substances that are most typical for megacities. And the main polluter here is not industry, but transport. The St. Petersburg business has become environmentally oriented, but we want this process to be even more intensive. We need to develop environmental awareness and culture», Samusevich believes.

The XXVII International Forum-Exhibition «Russian Industrialist» takes place at EXPOFORUM on November 26-28. The discussion of the environmental agenda and the involvement of industry in solving environmental problems will continue at the XXIV International Forum «Ecology of the Big City», which will be held at Expoforum on March 12-14, 2025.