WWF-Russia position on Olympic Games in Sochi - 2014

"We’re proud that Russia is the Olympic candidate winner but at the same time we will do our best to ensure that construction works do not destroy the environment”, says Igor Chestin, WWF-Russia CEO. 

WWF believes that mountain wilderness areas in the Caucasus must be protected when developing new facilities for the Winter Olympic Games in Sochi in 2014. However, some plans pose a serious threat to the environment.

WWF is especially concerned about the future of one of the most valuable natural areas within the Sochi national park, the Grushevyi Ridge and river Pslukh watershed, the projected site of the bobsleigh and luge track and mountain Olympic village. Besides being located within the boundaries of Sochi National Park, this area is also part of the buffer zone of the World Heritage Site ‘Western Caucasus’ and Russia is internationally responsible for its conservation.

Construction works in this part of Sochi national park (the buffer zone of the World Heritage Site) will lead to forest logging and destruction of habitats and migratory routes of endangered species, with negative effect going far beyond the construction site itself. This was clearly stated in the expert conclusion of state environmental impact assessment.

To facilitate Olympic construction, Russian legislators have abolished the environmental impact assessment (EIA) for all projects countrywide, thus lifting any control over potentially dangerous development.

Environmentalists also find the plans to construct a hydropower plant cascade on the Mzymta River dangerous for the environment.

Therefore, WWF suggests the following measures to make the Olympics in Sochi safer for the environment:

The State Duma should restore the obligatory state environmental impact assessment for potentially dangerous projects, including all projects within the national parks; 

The Organising Committee for Sochi-2014 should find alternative sites for facilities instead of Grushevyi Ridge and river Pslukh watershed, moving them away from the buffer zone of the World Heritage Site 

Russian Government should give up plans to construct a hydropower plant cascade on the Mzymta River.