RIASSUNTO
Abstract
Nenets Autonomous Area in Russia houses vast areas of untouched Arctic nature, which supports a unique flora and fauna. Large hydrocarbon deposits are discovered here and exploitation has begun. The initiative to create ""Nenets Environmental Database"" (hereafter ""NED"") arose from worries of nature protection institutions and local population about possible negative environmental influence and impacts from the increasing activities of oil and gas industries in the region, both on land - the largest tundra in Europe, and offshore - the Pechora bay of The Barents Sea. The main goal for creating NED is to make a tool to be used by the local authorities responsible for environmental management, as well as research and industrial institutions in their daily work. NED is one of the first Russian experience on creating a regional environmental database, which is linked to available environmental data from different sources, and oriented to help authorities, industry and population to minimise the environmental impact of future resource exploitation and avoid conflicts between growing up petroleum industry and fragile Arctic nature.
Introduction
Nenets Autonomous Area
The Nenets Autonomous Area (hereafter ""NAA"") is the most Northeast European region of the Russian Federation. It extends along the tundra coast of the Barents, White, and Kara seas. The population of NAA is about 46.600. The size of the Area is 176.800 square kilometres including two big island territories - Kolguev and Vaygach. The Area was formed in 1929 as a part of the Arkhangelsk region. Naryan-Mar, the capital, is a lumber port on the Pechora River. The area includes the northern section of the Pechora coal basin, with mines at Khalmer-Yu and along the Silova River. Until the discovery of oil and gas fields, reindeer raising, fishing, fur trapping, and seal hunting were the chief occupations. Fish canning, saw milling, and hide processing are also important. Many of the formerly nomadic Nenets people live in agricultural settlements. Russians make up a majority (66%) of the population, while the Nenets have shrunk to 12% of the population. The Nenets, previously known as Samoyedes, speak a Finno-Ugric language and are either Orthodox Christians or animists. They were first mentioned in the 11th century, and became tributaries of the grand duchy of Moscow at the end of the 15th cent. In 1977, the area changed its status from a National Area to an Autonomous Area. Presently NAA is one of 89 subjects of The Russian Federation.
Nature and industry in Nenets.
The natural climatic conditions of NAA are severe and unique. The only European sub-Arctic and Arctic plane tundra areas are situated here. Now they can be considered as standards of plane tundra, where the untouched natural landscapes and natural systems have been preserved. On the territory of NAA there are about 600 species of vascular plants, 1.000 species of lichen, about 600 species of moss and about 80 species of mushrooms. The fauna of the NAA territory amounts to more than 30 species of dry land mammals, about 100 bird species (during the nesting period). 18 marine mammal species live in the coastal waters. 29 fishes of 12 fish families inhabit the rivers and lakes of the Area and the adjusting coastal territories.
The entire economy of NAA is based on renewable and non-renewable natural resources. Of the biological resources, fish and fur are the main components while hydrocarbons constitute the majority of the exploited non-renewable resources.
The Barents Sea shelf and Timan-Pechora regions form one geological province, rich in bituminous shale. Although not all of NAA has been fully investigated, a survey of the oil and gas reserves in the Barents Sea region shows that the hydrocarbon reservoirs in Nenets area are comparable in size to those in West-Siberia.
Nenets Autonomous Area
The Nenets Autonomous Area (hereafter ""NAA"") is the most Northeast European region of the Russian Federation. It extends along the tundra coast of the Barents, White, and Kara seas. The population of NAA is about 46.600. The size of the Area is 176.800 square kilometres including two big island territories - Kolguev and Vaygach. The Area was formed in 1929 as a part of the Arkhangelsk region. Naryan-Mar, the capital, is a lumber port on the Pechora River. The area includes the northern section of the Pechora coal basin, with mines at Khalmer-Yu and along the Silova River. Until the discovery of oil and gas fields, reindeer raising, fishing, fur trapping, and seal hunting were the chief occupations. Fish canning, saw milling, and hide processing are also important. Many of the formerly nomadic Nenets people live in agricultural settlements. Russians make up a majority (66%) of the population, while the Nenets have shrunk to 12% of the population. The Nenets, previously known as Samoyedes, speak a Finno-Ugric language and are either Orthodox Christians or animists. They were first mentioned in the 11th century, and became tributaries of the grand duchy of Moscow at the end of the 15th cent. In 1977, the area changed its status from a National Area to an Autonomous Area. Presently NAA is one of 89 subjects of The Russian Federation.
Nature and industry in Nenets.
The natural climatic conditions of NAA are severe and unique. The only European sub-Arctic and Arctic plane tundra areas are situated here. Now they can be considered as standards of plane tundra, where the untouched natural landscapes and natural systems have been preserved. On the territory of NAA there are about 600 species of vascular plants, 1.000 species of lichen, about 600 species of moss and about 80 species of mushrooms. The fauna of the NAA territory amounts to more than 30 species of dry land mammals, about 100 bird species (during the nesting period). 18 marine mammal species live in the coastal waters. 29 fishes of 12 fish families inhabit the rivers and lakes of the Area and the adjusting coastal territories.
The entire economy of NAA is based on renewable and non-renewable natural resources. Of the biological resources, fish and fur are the main components while hydrocarbons constitute the majority of the exploited non-renewable resources.
The Barents Sea shelf and Timan-Pechora regions form one geological province, rich in bituminous shale. Although not all of NAA has been fully investigated, a survey of the oil and gas reserves in the Barents Sea region shows that the hydrocarbon reservoirs in Nenets area are comparable in size to those in West-Siberia.