2002-08-20

CALL TO STOP OFF-SHORE OIL EXTRACTION IN THE BALTIC SEA

Coalition Clean Baltic (CCB) would like to express serious concerns about the planned D-6 off-shore oil extraction project by the Russian LUKOIL company. This project is located at the continental shelf of the Baltic Sea near Kaliningrad (in Russia) and the Lithuanian border.

Environmental NGOs in the Baltic region are warning that there is a high danger of environmental pollution, accidental oil spills and other negative impacts during the exploitation of the D-6 project. This project is located in the Baltic Sea, in front of the  Curonian Spit, an exceptionally sensitive ecosystem which was included to the UNESCO World Heritage list in 2000. Both the Curonian Spit and the Baltic sea are facing serious threats. Long term environmental monitoring shows that the Baltic Sea in this area is rich in bio-diversity. Both the Lithuanian and Russian parts of the Curonian Spit are important and valuable recreational places with large tourism potential. Millions of dollars have already been invested in the development of sustainable tourism, nature protection and environmental projects by local municipalities, national governments and international donors. But due to LUKOIL’s controversial plan for oil extraction, all these investments and achievements are seriously being endangered. The future of the whole region could be altered from an attractive sustainable tourism spot to a devastated area.

Coalition Clean Baltic stresses that oil extraction is a major threat to Baltic ecosystems. This was also stated by the Helsinki Commission, of which Russia is part. Toxic oil residues accumulate in plankton and can be found right up the food chain. Oil spills contaminate the surface water, smothering marine plants and animals. Many chemicals in oil spills are toxic, and can have serious cumulative effects as they build up in ecosystems. Spills can also have severe repercussions for tourism and fisheries, while the necessary clean-up operations may themselves unavoidably harm marine life and coastal habitats.

As fauna and flora of the Baltic Sea are extremely sensitive to changes in the environment, there should be no further major pollution sources appearing. Any further pollution and accidental oil spills might cause irreversible negative impacts on marine environment of the Baltic Sea and the coastal zone of the Kaliningrad region, Lithuania and other Baltic states.

As relates to the project developed by the LUKOIL-Kaliningradmorneft,

Based on the recently released Environmental Impact Assessment report, Russian and Lithuanian NGO’s have stated that LUKOIL has underestimated the possibility of transboundary consequences of this project. These consequences could appear both as environment impact from regular operations as well as in case of accidental oil spills. In the information materials presented to the public, no adequate measures to show how these issues will be addressed are presented.

Also we want to stress the fact that LUKOIL and the Russian government so far do not follow international agreements on Environmental Impact Assessments, as far as it relates to projects that have transboundary environmental impacts. Specifically we would like to point out that the public of neighbouring countries is not properly informed about the plans for oil extraction. In that, project proponents do not act according to the Espoo Convention and the Helsinki Convention.


No off-shore oil extraction in the Baltic Sea

CCB recognises the efforts of LUKOIL to implement international environmental management standards and to improve its environmental performance. However, this project is not according to the provisions on environment protection taken by LUKOIL so far. The relevance of this project goes also beyond its potential negative environmental impacts. It will open the door for further oil exploitation in the Baltic Sea, which is over-polluted already. We consider that as a very negative development.

Therefore, CCB urges LUKOIL to revise its plans for offshore oil extraction in the Baltic Sea. We are calling upon LUKOIL and the Russian government not to go ahead with this extremely controversial project.


For more information contact:
Mr Janis Brizga, CCB Latvia, phone +371 9 118 112
Mr Gunnar Norén, Coalition Clean Baltic, phone +46 70 560 53 52