DOCSLIB.ORG

Russia and the Newly Independent States

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Russia and the Newly Independent States CHAPTERCHAPTER FIVEFIVE RussiaRussia andand thethe NewlyNewly IndependentIndependent StatesStates RussiaRussia andand thethe NewlyNewly IndependentIndependent StatesStates Figure 5.1 I.I. THETHE GEOGRAPHICGEOGRAPHIC SETTINGSETTING ►► ConstitutedConstituted byby 1212 formerformer republicsrepublics ofof thethe USSRUSSR .. Latvia,Latvia, Lithuania,Lithuania, andand EstoniaEstonia alreadyalready discusseddiscussed ►► RussiaRussia containscontains moremore thanthan 3030 ethnicethnic internalinternal republicsrepublics .. DiversityDiversity hiddenhidden byby singlesingle countrycountry A.A. PhysicalPhysical PatternsPatterns ►►UndulatingUndulating landformslandforms fromfrom westwest toto easteast .. NorthNorth EuropeanEuropean PlainPlain .. UralUral MountainsMountains .. WestWest SiberianSiberian PlainPlain .. CentralCentral SiberianSiberian PlateauPlateau .. PacificPacific MountainsMountains ►►ToTo south,south, nono regularregular physicalphysical barriersbarriers .. Caucasus,Caucasus, steppes,steppes, mountainsmountains ofof EastEast AsiaAsia A.A. PhysicalPhysical PatternsPatterns ►►LandformsLandforms .. NorthNorth EuropeanEuropean Plain:Plain: westernwestern subregionsubregion ► European Russia; most densely populated ►Volga River – important for transportation .. UralUral Mountains:Mountains: borderborder betweenbetween EuropeEurope andand AsiaAsia ►Relatively low, not a barrier to movement .. WestWest SiberianSiberian Plain:Plain: largestlargest plainplain inin thethe worldworld ► Oil reserves, permafrost A.A. PhysicalPhysical PatternsPatterns ►►LandformsLandforms .. CentralCentral SiberianSiberian PlateauPlateau ► Permafrost at varying depths .. PacificPacific MountainMountain ZoneZone ► Moderated by ocean, warmed by volcanic activity . Pacific Plate sinking under Eurasian Plate .. TheseThese twotwo regions,regions, together,together, sizesize ofof USAUSA .. SteppesSteppes andand mountainsmountains toto thethe south;south; areaarea ofof culturalcultural interpenetrationinterpenetration KamchatkaKamchatka Figure 5.4 A.A. PhysicalPhysical PatternsPatterns ►►ClimateClimate andand VegetationVegetation .. HarshHarsh continentalcontinental climateclimate .. ProtectedProtected fromfrom moderatingmoderating oceanicoceanic windswinds byby mountainsmountains toto thethe southsouth .. AgricultureAgriculture focusedfocused inin west,west, wherewhere precipitationprecipitation isis maximizedmaximized .. BestBest soilssoils areare foundfound inin southwestsouthwest .. TaigaTaiga foundfound inin northernnorthern SiberianSiberian vastnessvastness ► Northern coniferous forest ClimateClimate ZonesZones Figure 5.6 B.B. HumanHuman PatternsPatterns OverOver TimeTime ►►HistoricHistoric trendtrend hashas beenbeen centralizationcentralization .. CoreCore area:area: EuropeanEuropean Russia,Russia, ethnicethnic homelandhomeland forfor RussiansRussians .. OtherOther ethnicethnic groupsgroups conqueredconquered byby RussiansRussians .. Later,Later, RussianRussian EmpireEmpire becamebecame USSRUSSR ►►NewNew trend:trend: dede--centralizationcentralization .. BreakupBreakup ofof USSRUSSR B.B. HumanHuman PatternsPatterns OverOver TimeTime ►►TheThe RiseRise ofof thethe RussianRussian EmpireEmpire .. Slavs:Slavs: farmersfarmers fromfrom Poland,Poland, Ukraine,Ukraine, BelarusBelarus ►Occupied most of Eastern Europe ►Controlled Volga River trade route ►Kiev and Moscow: key urban areas; influenced by Byzantine traders (Cyrillic, Orthodoxy) .. ConqueredConquered byby MongolsMongols ► Moscow’s elites became tax collectors; eventually rebelled and started expanding their own empire IndependenceIndependence Square,Square, KievKiev Figure 5.9 B.B. HumanHuman PatternsPatterns OverOver TimeTime ►►TheThe RiseRise ofof thethe RussianRussian EmpireEmpire .. SimilarSimilar toto otherother EuropeanEuropean colonizers:colonizers: resourcesresources appropriated,appropriated, privateprivate propertyproperty upheldupheld overover communalcommunal propertyproperty .. DifferentDifferent fromfrom otherother EuropeanEuropean colonizers:colonizers: largelarge numbersnumbers ofof RussiansRussians migratedmigrated in,in, surpassingsurpassing indigenousindigenous populationspopulations ►Central Asia: provider of cotton .. RussianRussian czar:czar: livedlived inin splendorsplendor ► Serfdom remained in place until mid-1800s RussianRussian ImperialImperial ExpansionExpansion Figure 5.11 B.B. HumanHuman PatternsPatterns OverOver TimeTime ►►TheThe CommunistCommunist RevolutionRevolution andand itsits AftermathAftermath .. DuringDuring WWI,WWI, czarczar overthrown,overthrown, BolsheviksBolsheviks taketake powerpower ►Communism: criticizes capitalism for centralization of production in a wealthy minority .. CentrallyCentrally plannedplanned economyeconomy institutedinstituted byby StalinStalin ► Government owned all land and means of production ►Government directs all economic activity ►Significant successes and failures B.B. HumanHuman PatternsPatterns OverOver TimeTime ►►WorldWorld WarWar IIII andand thethe ColdCold WarWar .. AlmostAlmost singlesingle--handedlyhandedly wonwon WWIIWWII ► 23 million casualties .. CreatedCreated bufferbuffer ofof alliedallied CommunistCommunist countriescountries .. ColdCold WarWar confrontationconfrontation overover ideologyideology ► Arms race, promotion of communism overseas .. SteadySteady driftdrift awayaway fromfrom hardhard--lineline communismcommunism ► Dragged down by war in Afghanistan TheThe ColdCold WarWar inin 19801980 Figure 5.12 B.B. HumanHuman PatternsPatterns OverOver TimeTime ►►TheThe PostPost--SovietSoviet YearsYears .. Gorbachev:Gorbachev: glasnost,glasnost, perestroikaperestroika ► Failed to solve problems, stoked nationalism .. Russia:Russia: majormajor inheritorinheritor ofof USSRUSSR’’ss mantlemantle .. 1111 otherother newnew republicsrepublics inin thisthis regionregion ► Haphazard transition to free market economies ►Rollback of democratic reforms in Russia? C.C. PopulationPopulation PatternsPatterns ►►EuropeanEuropean Russia:Russia: densestdensest populationpopulation inin thethe regionregion .. WedgeWedge fromfrom OdessaOdessa northnorth toto St.St. PetersburgPetersburg andand NovosibirskNovosibirsk (best(best farmland)farmland) ►►SiberianSiberian settlementsettlement followsfollows thethe TransTrans-- SiberianSiberian RailwayRailway .. ConcentratedConcentrated inin aa fewfew citiescities PopulationPopulation DistributionDistribution Figure 5.13 C.C. PopulationPopulation PatternsPatterns ►►RecentRecent PopulationPopulation ChangesChanges .. USSR:USSR: RelativelyRelatively highhigh standardstandard ofof livingliving andand wellwell --beingbeing ►Post-1991, rapidly deteriorating .. DeclineDecline inin lifelife expectancyexpectancy (esp.(esp. men)men) ► Physical and mental stress from lost jobs and social disruption ►Alcoholism ►Nutritional deficiencies .. WomenWomen choosingchoosing notnot toto havehave childrenchildren PopulationPopulation PyramidsPyramids Figure 5.15 II.II. CURRENTCURRENT GEOGRAPHICGEOGRAPHIC ISSUESISSUES ►► SovietSoviet experiment:experiment: toto reformreform quicklyquickly andand totallytotally aa societysociety andand itsits institutionsinstitutions ►► Now,Now, aa newnew experiment:experiment: shiftingshifting toto democracydemocracy andand aa freefree marketmarket economyeconomy .. AsAs inin BolshevikBolshevik Revolution,Revolution, greatgreat uncertaintyuncertainty asas toto outcomesoutcomes A.A. EconomicEconomic andand PoliticalPolitical IssuesIssues ►►TheThe FormerFormer CommandCommand EconomyEconomy .. SuccessfullySuccessfully eradicatederadicated abjectabject poverty,poverty, basicbasic needsneeds metmet .. Still,Still, becausebecause ofof inefficiencies,inefficiencies, scarcitiesscarcities andand glutsgluts ►No competition, therefore inefficient production methods ►Products of poor quality and overpriced ►Lack of technological innovation outside of military, space exploration A.A. EconomicEconomic andand PoliticalPolitical IssuesIssues ►►SovietSoviet RegionalRegional DevelopmentDevelopment SchemesSchemes .. CentralCentral governmentgovernment inin chargecharge ofof locatinglocating industryindustry ►Spread throughout vast territory to boost standards of living in distant areas ►Also, protected from enemy attack .. CostCost ofof transporttransport mademade industryindustry inefficientinefficient .. ManyMany industriesindustries incapableincapable ofof beingbeing sustainedsustained afterafter breakupbreakup ofof USSRUSSR IndustrialIndustrial RegionsRegions andand LandLand TransportationTransportation Figure 5.20 A.A. EconomicEconomic andand PoliticalPolitical IssuesIssues ►►TransportTransport IssuesIssues .. WaterWater transport:transport: cheapestcheapest ► However, Soviet rivers generally run north-south ►Few oceanic ports .. LandLand transport:transport: bestbest optionoption ► Hindered by permafrost, swampy forests, complex upland landscapes, limited car ownership .. Therefore,Therefore, USSRUSSR (2.5x(2.5x sizesize ofof USA)USA) hashas 1/61/6 thethe roadsroads .. ImportanceImportance ofof TransTrans--SiberianSiberian Railway,Railway, airair transporttransport (expensive)(expensive) A.A. EconomicEconomic andand PoliticalPolitical IssuesIssues ►►ReformReform inin thethe PostPost--SovietSoviet EraEra .. Privatization:Privatization: governmentgovernment--ownedowned industriesindustries soldsold toto privateprivate companiescompanies oror individualsindividuals ►Intended to maximize efficiency ►Importance of supply and demand for prices .. PricePrice controls:controls: InitialInitial scarcityscarcity
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Russia and the Eurasian Republics THIS REGION Spans the Continents of Europe and Asia
    390-391 U5 CH14 UO TWIP-860976 3/15/04 5:21 AM Page 390 Unit Workers on the statue Russians in front of Motherland Calls, St. Basil’s Cathedral, Volgograd Moscow 224 390-391 U5 CH14 UO TWIP-860976 3/15/04 5:22 AM Page 391 RussiaRussia andand the the EurasianEurasian f you had to describe Russia RepublicsRepublics Iin one word, that word would be BIG! Russia is the largest country in the world in area. Its almost 6.6 million square miles (17 million sq. km) are spread across two continents—Europe and Asia. As you can imagine, such a large country faces equally large challenges. In 1991 Russia emerged from the Soviet Union as an independent country. Since then it has been struggling to unite its many ethnic groups, set up a demo- cratic government, and build a stable economy. ▼ Siberian tiger in a forest NGS ONLINE in eastern Russia www.nationalgeographic.com/education 225 392-401 U5 CH14 RA TWIP-860976 3/15/04 5:28 AM Page 392 REGIONAL ATLAS Focus on: Russia and the Eurasian Republics THIS REGION spans the continents of Europe and Asia. It includes Russia—the world’s largest country—and the neigh- boring independent republics of Armenia, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan. Russia and the Eurasian republics cover about 8 million square miles (20.7 million sq. km). This is greater than the size of Canada, the United States, and Mexico combined. The Caspian Sea is actually a salt lake that lies at the base of the Caucasus Mountains in The Land Russia’s southwest.
    [Show full text]
  • Distribution of Freshwater Midges in Relation to Air Temperature and Lake Depth
    J Paleolimnol (2006) 36:295-314 DOl 1O.1007/s10933-006-0014-6 A northwest North American training set: distribution of freshwater midges in relation to air temperature and lake depth Erin M. Barley' Ian R. Walker' Joshua Kurek, Les C. Cwynar' Rolf W. Mathewes • Konrad Gajewski' Bruce P. Finney Received: 20 July 2005 I Accepted: 5 March 2006/Published online: 26 August 2006 © Springer Science+Business Media B.Y. 2006 Abstract Freshwater midges, consisting of Chiro- organic carbon, lichen woodland vegetation and sur- nomidae, Chaoboridae and Ceratopogonidae, were face area contributed significantly to explaining assessed as a biological proxy for palaeoclimate in midge distribution. Weighted averaging partial least eastern Beringia. The northwest North American squares (WA-PLS) was used to develop midge training set consists of midge assemblages and data inference models for mean July air temperature 2 for 17 environmental variables collected from 145 (R boot = 0.818, RMSEP = 1.46°C), and transformed 2 lakes in Alaska, British Columbia, Yukon, Northwest depth (1n (x+ l); R boot = 0.38, and RMSEP = 0.58). Territories, and the Canadian Arctic Islands. Canon- ical correspondence analyses (CCA) revealed that Key words Chironomidae : Transfer function . mean July air temperature, lake depth, arctic tundra Beringia' Air temperature . Lake depth' Canonical vegetation, alpine tundra vegetation, pH, dissolved correspondence analysis . Paleoclimate E. M. Barley· R. W. Mathewes Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada V5A IS6 Introduction I. R. Walker Departments of Biology, and Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of British Columbia Okanagan, Palaeoecologists seeking to quantify past environ- Kelowna, BC, Canada VIV IV7 mental changes rely increasingly on transfer func- e-mail: [email protected] tions that make use of biological proxies (Battarbee J.
    [Show full text]
  • Siberia and the Russian Far East in the 21St Century: Scenarios of the Future
    Journal of Siberian Federal University. Humanities & Social Sciences 11 (2017 10) 1669-1686 ~ ~ ~ УДК 332.1:338.1(571) Siberia and the Russian Far East in the 21st Century: Scenarios of the Future Valerii S. Efimov and Alla V. Laptevа* Siberian Federal University 79 Svobodny, Krasnoyarsk, 660041, Russia Received 07.09.2017, received in revised form 07.11.2017, accepted 14.11.2017 The article presents a study of variants of possible future for Siberia and Russian Far East up until 2050. The authors consider the global trends that are likely to determine the situation of Russia and the Siberian macro-region in the long term. It is shown that the demand for natural resources of Siberia and Russian Far East will be determined by the economic development of Asian countries, the processes of urbanization and the growth of urban “middle class”. When determining possible scenarios, the authors use a method of conceptual scenario planning that was developed under the framework of foresight technology. Three groups of scenario factors became the basis for determining scenarios: external constant conditions, external variable factors, internal variable factors. Combinations of scenario factors set the field for the possible variants of the future of Siberia and Russian East. The article describes four key scenarios: “Broad international cooperation”, “Exclusive partnership”, “Optimization of the country”, “Retention of territory”. For each of them the authors provide “the image of the future” (including the main features of international cooperation, economic and social development), as well as the quantitative estimation of population and GDP dynamics: • “Broad international cooperation” – the population of Russia will increase by 15.7 % from 146.5 million in 2015 to 169.5 million in 2050; Russia’s GDP will grow by 3.4 times – from 3.8 trillion dollars (PPP) in 2015 to 12.8 trillion dollars in 2050.
    [Show full text]
  • Place Names: an Analysis of Published Materials
    DOCUMENT RESUME ED 319 675 SO 020 925 AUTHOR Anderson, Paul S. TITLE Seeking a Core of Wo' -'d Regional Geography Place Names: An Analysis of Published Materials. PUB DATE 14 Oct 89 NOTE 18p.; Paper presentel at the Annual Meeting of the National Council for Geographic Education (Hershey, PA, October 11-14, 1989). Updated April 1990. PUB TYPE Speeches/Conference Papers (150) -- Reference Materials - Geographic Materials (133) -- Information Analyses (070) EDRS PRICE MF01/PC01 Plus Postage. DESCRIPTORS Elementary Secondary Education; *Geographic Location; *Geography Instruction; *Minimum Competencies; *Physical Geography IDENTIFIERS Place Names ABSTRACT Knowing place names is not the essence of geography, but some knowledge of names of geographical locations is widely considered to be basic information. Whether used in general cultural literacy, lighthearted Trivial Pursuit, educational sixth grade social studies, or serious debates on world events, place names and their locations are assumed to be known. At the college level of world regional geography courses, five books with lists of place names are in print by geographers: Fuson; MacKinnon; Pontius and Woodward; DiLisio; and Stoltman. Those five sources plus place name lists by P.S. Anderson and from Hirsch reveal similarities and diversities in their content. A core list of place names is presented with several cross-classifications by region, type of geographic feature, and grade level of students. The results reveal a logical progression of complexity that could assist geography educators to increase student learning and avoid duplication of efforts. There will never be complete agreement about any listing of the core geographical place names, but the presented lists are intended to stimulate discussion along constructive avenues.
    [Show full text]
  • Russia: the Impact of Climate Change to 2030: Geopolitical Implications
    This paper does not represent US Government views. This page is intentionally kept blank. This paper does not represent US Government views. This paper does not represent US Government views. Russia: The Impact of Climate Change to 2030: Geopolitical Implications Prepared jointly by CENTRA Technology, Inc., and Scitor Corporation The National Intelligence Council sponsors workshops and research with nongovernmental experts to gain knowledge and insight and to sharpen debate on critical issues. The views expressed in this report do not reflect official US Government positions. CR 2009-16 September 2009 This paper does not represent US Government views. This paper does not represent US Government views. This page is intentionally kept blank. This paper does not represent US Government views. This paper does not represent US Government views. Scope Note Following the publication in 2008 of the National Intelligence Assessment on the National Security Implications of Global Climate Change to 2030, the National Intelligence Council (NIC) embarked on a research effort to explore in greater detail the national security implications of climate change in six countries/regions of the world: India, China, Russia, North Africa, Mexico and the Caribbean, and Southeast Asia and the Pacific Island States. For each country/region we have adopted a three-phase approach. • In the first phase, contracted research explores the latest scientific findings on the impact of climate change in the specific region/country. For Russia, the Phase I effort was published as a NIC Special Report: Russia: Impact of Climate Change to 2030, A Commissioned Research Report (NIC 2009-04, April 2009). • In the second phase, a workshop or conference composed of experts from outside the Intelligence Community (IC) determines if anticipated changes from the effects of climate change will force inter- and intra-state migrations, cause economic hardship, or result in increased social tensions or state instability within the country/region.
    [Show full text]
  • Russia's Arctic Cities
    ? chapter one Russia’s Arctic Cities Recent Evolution and Drivers of Change Colin Reisser Siberia and the Far North fi gure heavily in Russia’s social, political, and economic development during the last fi ve centuries. From the beginnings of Russia’s expansion into Siberia in the sixteenth century through the present, the vast expanses of land to the north repre- sented a strategic and economic reserve to rulers and citizens alike. While these reaches of Russia have always loomed large in the na- tional consciousness, their remoteness, harsh climate, and inaccessi- bility posed huge obstacles to eff ectively settling and exploiting them. The advent of new technologies and ideologies brought new waves of settlement and development to the region over time, and cities sprouted in the Russian Arctic on a scale unprecedented for a region of such remote geography and harsh climate. Unlike in the Arctic and sub-Arctic regions of other countries, the Russian Far North is highly urbanized, containing 72 percent of the circumpolar Arctic population (Rasmussen 2011). While the largest cities in the far northern reaches of Alaska, Canada, and Greenland have maximum populations in the range of 10,000, Russia has multi- ple cities with more than 100,000 citizens. Despite the growing public focus on the Arctic, the large urban centers of the Russian Far North have rarely been a topic for discussion or analysis. The urbanization of the Russian Far North spans three distinct “waves” of settlement, from the early imperial exploration, expansion of forced labor under Stalin, and fi nally to the later Soviet development 2 | Colin Reisser of energy and mining outposts.
    [Show full text]
  • Russia and Asia
    17. Russia in the Asia–Pacific area: challenges and opportunities Vyacheslav B. Amirov 1. Introduction Not for the first time in its history, Russia is facing new realities in its standing in the international arena—realities which emerged mainly because of internal and economic problems that had accumulated over decades. Since the collapse of the Soviet Union, Russia, having lost the Baltic states, Belarus and Ukraine, has shifted east. That is one reason, among others, why its place in the Asia– Pacific arena and its relations with the countries of the region have become even more important than they were under the USSR—although the real sig- nificance of the region was not realized by the Soviet rulers. Although the last years of the Soviet Union witnessed some improvements in its relations with countries of the Asia–Pacific region, in some critical aspects and cases the legacy of the past is a burden for the new Russia. There are some unresolved issues with its neighbours and, more important, old-style approaches to various problems persist which the policies of perestroika and ‘new thinking’ were not able to correct. It is clear that the working-out of a long-term national strategy towards Asia– Pacific cannot be expected until after the next presidential election in Russia. It is not, however, clear whether such a policy will reflect Russia’s genuine national interests. There are still too many questions, and a reliable policy, if one is finally adopted, cannot be formulated without a critical assessment of the legacy of the past, taking into account the fact that neither the old Russia nor the Soviet Union could cope properly with the realities and the state authorities quite often took decisions which were not in the national interests.
    [Show full text]
  • Background Guide, and to Issac and Stasya for Being Great Friends During Our Weird Chicago Summer
    Russian Duma 1917 (DUMA) MUNUC 33 ONLINE 1 Russian Duma 1917 (DUMA) | MUNUC 33 Online TABLE OF CONTENTS ______________________________________________________ CHAIR LETTERS………………………….….………………………….……..….3 ROOM MECHANICS…………………………………………………………… 6 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM………………………….……………..…………......9 HISTORY OF THE PROBLEM………………………………………………………….16 ROSTER……………………………………………………….………………………..23 BIBLIOGRAPHY………………………………………………………..…………….. 46 2 Russian Duma 1917 (DUMA) | MUNUC 33 Online CHAIR LETTERS ____________________________________________________ My Fellow Russians, We stand today on the edge of a great crisis. Our nation has never been more divided, more war- stricken, more fearful of the future. Yet, the promise and the greatness of Russia remains undaunted. The Russian Provisional Government can and will overcome these challenges and lead our Motherland into the dawn of a new day. Out of character. To introduce myself, I’m a fourth-year Economics and History double major, currently writing a BA thesis on World War II rationing in the United States. I compete on UChicago’s travel team and I additionally am a CD for our college conference. Besides that, I am the VP of the Delta Kappa Epsilon fraternity, previously a member of an all-men a cappella group and a proud procrastinator. This letter, for example, is about a month late. We decided to run this committee for a multitude of reasons, but I personally think that Russian in 1917 represents such a critical point in history. In an unlikely way, the most autocratic regime on Earth became replaced with a socialist state. The story of this dramatic shift in government and ideology represents, to me, one of the most interesting parts of history: that sometimes facts can be stranger than fiction.
    [Show full text]
  • NATIONAL PROTECTED AREAS of the RUSSIAN FEDERATION: of the RUSSIAN FEDERATION: AREAS PROTECTED NATIONAL Vladimir Krever, Mikhail Stishov, Irina Onufrenya
    WWF WWF is one of the world’s largest and most experienced independent conservation WWF-Russia organizations, with almost 5 million supporters and a global network active in more than 19, bld.3 Nikoloyamskaya St., 100 countries. 109240 Moscow WWF’s mission is to stop the degradation of the planet’s natural environment and to build a Russia future in which humans live in harmony with nature, by: Tel.: +7 495 727 09 39 • conserving the world’s biological diversity Fax: +7 495 727 09 38 • ensuring that the use of renewable natural resources is sustainable [email protected] • promoting the reduction of pollution and wasteful consumption. http://www.wwf.ru The Nature Conservancy The Nature Conservancy - the leading conservation organization working around the world to The Nature Conservancy protect ecologically important lands and waters for nature and people. Worldwide Office The mission of The Nature Conservancy is to preserve the plants, animals and natural 4245 North Fairfax Drive, Suite 100 NNATIONALATIONAL PPROTECTEDROTECTED AAREASREAS communities that represent the diversity of life on Earth by protecting the lands and waters Arlington, VA 22203-1606 they need to survive. Tel: +1 (703) 841-5300 http://www.nature.org OOFF TTHEHE RRUSSIANUSSIAN FFEDERATION:EDERATION: MAVA The mission of the Foundation is to contribute to maintaining terrestrial and aquatic Fondation pour la ecosystems, both qualitatively and quantitatively, with a view to preserving their biodiversity. Protection de la Nature GGAPAP AANALYSISNALYSIS To this end, it promotes scientific research, training and integrated management practices Le Petit Essert whose effectiveness has been proved, while securing a future for local populations in cultural, 1147 Montricher, Suisse economic and ecological terms.
    [Show full text]
  • Water Policy Reforms in Eastern Europe, the Caucasus and Central Asia Achievements of the European Union Water Initiative, 2006-16 September 2016
    Water Policy Reforms in Eastern Europe, the Caucasus and Central Asia Achievements of the European Union Water Initiative, 2006-16 September 2016 EUWI EU WATER INITIATIVE EECCA Foreword People’s wellbeing and economic development are increasingly dependent “Ten years after the EUWI upon water. Water scarcity is already a matter of daily struggle for more than launch, we are glad to 40 percent of people around the world. Our vulnerability to water stress is and will be more and more exacerbated by climate change. Improved water see more robust national governance is therefore crucial for accommodating a growing demand for policy frameworks, targeted water in the context of important scarcities. Without efforts to rethink and invesments and improved adjust the way we manage waters, an eventual water crisis will have daunting effects, including conflicts and forced migration. water management practices in countries of Eastern Europe, The European Commission has made water governance one of the priorities of its work, including in the context of international co-operation. The Caucasus and Central Asia.” European Union’s Water Initiative (EUWI), launched in 2006, has been an important avenue for sharing experience, addressing common challenges, and identifying opportunities that would enable our partners to meet water use demands in an environmentally sustainable manner. As part of its Neighbourhood and Development policies, the EU has closely involved the countries of Eastern Europe, Caucasus and Central Asia in this initiative. The EUWI has been a political undertaking that has helped participating countries improve their legislation in the water sector through the design and the implementation of national policy reforms.
    [Show full text]
  • US Sanctions on Russia
    U.S. Sanctions on Russia Updated January 17, 2020 Congressional Research Service https://crsreports.congress.gov R45415 SUMMARY R45415 U.S. Sanctions on Russia January 17, 2020 Sanctions are a central element of U.S. policy to counter and deter malign Russian behavior. The United States has imposed sanctions on Russia mainly in response to Russia’s 2014 invasion of Cory Welt, Coordinator Ukraine, to reverse and deter further Russian aggression in Ukraine, and to deter Russian Specialist in European aggression against other countries. The United States also has imposed sanctions on Russia in Affairs response to (and to deter) election interference and other malicious cyber-enabled activities, human rights abuses, the use of a chemical weapon, weapons proliferation, illicit trade with North Korea, and support to Syria and Venezuela. Most Members of Congress support a robust Kristin Archick Specialist in European use of sanctions amid concerns about Russia’s international behavior and geostrategic intentions. Affairs Sanctions related to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine are based mainly on four executive orders (EOs) that President Obama issued in 2014. That year, Congress also passed and President Rebecca M. Nelson Obama signed into law two acts establishing sanctions in response to Russia’s invasion of Specialist in International Ukraine: the Support for the Sovereignty, Integrity, Democracy, and Economic Stability of Trade and Finance Ukraine Act of 2014 (SSIDES; P.L. 113-95/H.R. 4152) and the Ukraine Freedom Support Act of 2014 (UFSA; P.L. 113-272/H.R. 5859). Dianne E. Rennack Specialist in Foreign Policy In 2017, Congress passed and President Trump signed into law the Countering Russian Influence Legislation in Europe and Eurasia Act of 2017 (CRIEEA; P.L.
    [Show full text]
  • The North Caucasus Region As a Blind Spot in the “European Green Deal”: Energy Supply Security and Energy Superpower Russia
    energies Article The North Caucasus Region as a Blind Spot in the “European Green Deal”: Energy Supply Security and Energy Superpower Russia José Antonio Peña-Ramos 1,* , Philipp Bagus 2 and Dmitri Amirov-Belova 3 1 Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, Universidad Autónoma de Chile, Providencia 7500912, Chile 2 Department of Applied Economics I and History of Economic Institutions (and Moral Philosophy), Rey Juan Carlos University, 28032 Madrid, Spain; [email protected] 3 Postgraduate Studies Centre, Pablo de Olavide University, 41013 Sevilla, Spain; [email protected] * Correspondence: [email protected]; Tel.: +34-657219669 Abstract: The “European Green Deal” has ambitious aims, such as net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. While the European Union aims to make its energies greener, Russia pursues power-goals based on its status as a geo-energy superpower. A successful “European Green Deal” would have the up-to-now underestimated geopolitical advantage of making the European Union less dependent on Russian hydrocarbons. In this article, we illustrate Russian power-politics and its geopolitical implications by analyzing the illustrative case of the North Caucasus, which has been traditionally a strategic region for Russia. The present article describes and analyses the impact of Russian intervention in the North Caucasian secessionist conflict since 1991 and its importance in terms of natural resources, especially hydrocarbons. The geopolitical power secured by Russia in the North Caucasian conflict has important implications for European Union’s energy supply security and could be regarded as a strong argument in favor of the “European Green Deal”. Keywords: North Caucasus; post-soviet conflicts; Russia; oil; natural gas; global economics and Citation: Peña-Ramos, J.A.; Bagus, P.; cross-cultural management; energy studies; renewable energies; energy markets; clean energies Amirov-Belova, D.
    [Show full text]