FW: Keep Baikal Alive!

[Hugh McLean]

Bravo to Jane Costlow. I'm with her and not Stephen Beet.
> I think these comments miss the point of using language like "The 
> Galapagos" - or what's driving the request for international attention 
> to a local (or actually federal) action.  The point isn't, I don't 
> think, whether it's an island or a lake - the point is that these are 
> locations being claimed as world treasures, that is, their status - 
> because of unique and vulnerable ecological conditions - are deserving 
> of consideration beyond the merely local.  This is an important 
> strategy that has driven numerous campaigns for protection and/or 
> conservation:  think of campaigns for the Amazonian Rain Forest, to 
> cite perhaps the most famous example.
>
> There are many Russians both in the Baikal region and throughout 
> Russia who have taken up the cause of Baikal - so signing this 
> petition, which asks UNESCO to express concern for this world treasure 
> - is in a sense supporting particular Russians (and a remarkable 
> natural site) rather than others.  I suppose whether or not one signs 
> might depend, in part, on how you consider the seriousness of the 
> situation of those who live in Baikalsk, a small city entirely 
> dependent on the paper mill there.  (I'm writing from Maine, so these 
> are issues which in a sense translate into my own "home" world.)
>
> For those interested, there is an excellent book that deals in detail 
> with many of these issues (other than Doug Weiner's wonderful chapter 
> in A Little Corner of Freedom, which discusses the fight over Baikal 
> in the 70's, and the original building of the plant):  Sacred Sea: A 
> Journey to Baikal, by Peter Thompson - an environmental journalist who 
> for years was the lead on NPR's Living on Earth.
>
> Jane Costlow
>
> Stephen Beet wrote:
>> I suppose the Russians will do what they feel is right an it is not
>> for us to suggest solutions!
>>
>> On Fri, Apr 9, 2010 at 7:59 PM, Robert Orr <colkitto at rogers.com> wrote:
>>> Actually, Baikal IS known for its biodiversity, although, like 
>>> Madagascar,
>>> it lacks the linguistic diversity which is supposed to be an 
>>> accompaniment
>>> ....
>>>
>>> "'we are going sailing on the Galapagos of Russia'?" - sounds like a 
>>> good
>>> promotional slogan - and it should be recalled that the world RUNS on
>>> journalistic nonsense......
>>>
>>> ----- Original Message ----- From: "William Ryan" <wfr at SAS.AC.UK>
>>> To: <SEELANGS at bama.ua.edu>
>>> Sent: Friday, April 09, 2010 6:05 AM
>>> Subject: Re: [SEELANGS] FW: Keep Baikal Alive!
>>>
>>>
>>>> I am sure that the petition forwarded by Robert is indeed important 
>>>> and
>>>> worthy of support, but it does not help itself by starting with a 
>>>> bit of
>>>> journalistic nonsense: 'Known as the "Galapagos of Russia," Lake 
>>>> Baikal ...
>>>> etc.'. Who calls Baikal the 'Galapagos of Russia'? Has anyone ever 
>>>> said 'we
>>>> are going sailing on the Galapagos of Russia'? Galapagos are 
>>>> islands, Baikal
>>>> is a lake - sounds a bit like the Red Queen:' I could show you 
>>>> hills, in
>>>> comparison with which you'd call that a valley'.
>>>> Will Ryan
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Robert Chandler wrote:
>>>>> Dear all,
>>>>>
>>>>> I forward what seems like a worthwhile petition.  Please circulate 
>>>>> it if
>>>>> you
>>>>> agree.
>>>>>
>>>>> Yours,
>>>>>
>>>>> Robert Chandler
>>>>>
>>>>> ------ Forwarded Message
>>>>> From: Pnina Levermore <info at pacificenvironment.org>
>>>>> Reply-To: <info at pacificenvironment.org>
>>>>> Subject: Keep Baikal Alive!
>>>>>
>>>>> Lake Baikal is No Small Change to Throw Away
>>>>> Known as the "Galapagos of Russia," Lake Baikal is located in 
>>>>> southern
>>>>> Siberia near the Russian-Mongolian border. The oldest and deepest 
>>>>> lake in
>>>>> the world, Baikal contains 20% of the world's unfrozen freshwater
>>>>> reserve.�
>>>>> The Russian Government is treating Lake Baikal like small  change. 
>>>>> Prime
>>>>> Minister Putin's decision to re-start the Baikalsk Pulp  and Paper 
>>>>> Mill
>>>>> obstructs the  environmentally safe economic development  of the 
>>>>> town of
>>>>> Baikalsk and the  whole Baikal region. The governmental  decree, 
>>>>> which
>>>>> Prime
>>>>> Minister Putin  signed on January 13, permitted the  mill to 
>>>>> discharge
>>>>> its
>>>>> wastewater into the cleanest lake on the planet. �  This is a  
>>>>> violation
>>>>> of
>>>>> both Russian laws and an indicator of Russia's   unwillingness to 
>>>>> deliver
>>>>> on
>>>>> its international obligations to keep  intact  Lake Baikal - a 
>>>>> priceless
>>>>> heritage site protected by  UNESCO. Sign the petition to UNESCO 
>>>>> Director
>>>>> General!  UNESCO  must address the Russian Government with a 
>>>>> demand to
>>>>> stop
>>>>> pollution of  Lake Baikal.
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> <http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/608/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=26 
>>>>>
>>>>> 83>
>>>>> Pnina Levermore Russia Program Director
>>>>>
>>>>> ------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
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>>
>>
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