'Baikal Environmental Wave' NGO was founded in 1990 by a small group of concerned locals in response to the global environmental crisis and critical environmental situation in the Baikal region. We believe that the protection of Lake Baikal and its surrounding area is our responsibility to future generations of local people and to the world as a whole. In 1992 we received legal status as a Non-Governmental Organisation.

MISSION

Baikal Environmental Wave promotes a clear policy for the consistent orientation of the economy and society towards environmental protection and sustainable development, acting itself to this end by encouraging education, information, discussion, and public participation in decision-making processes.

AIMS AND GOALS

• Informing people about environmental problems;
• Supporting the formation and advancement of environmental consciousness;
• Active protest on environmental issues in accordance with Russian and local laws;
• Stirring up environmental movement in the Baikal region;
• Assisting the growth of social activity in our society;
• Promoting environmentally friendly living.

To accomplish these aims, work is being undertaken in the following areas:

Protection of people’s environmental rights

We aim to encourage people’s participation in decision making and to teach them how they may protect and use their rights concerning the protection of the surrounding environment.

We support local environmental experts and develop environmental control inspections. In collaboration with other NGOs we also try to maintain the existing environmental laws.

Provision of environmental information

“Baikal Environmental Wave” provides anyone interested with up-to-date information on all issues involving the surrounding environment and its development.

In our library, we have around 2500 environmental books and periodicals in both Russian and English.

Since 1998 we have been providing local village schools with environmental literature in the form ‘mobile libraries’ which are passed from school to school.

We also establish connections with academic institutions so that information on environmental issues can be made accessible to, and be enjoyed by, all areas of society. We aim to make English environmental literature accessible to the wider public by translating important works and producing our own publications.

Publications

“Baikal Environmental Wave” has a publishing license and produces a quarterly environmental journal called ‘Volna’ (‘The Wave’). We also publish brochures and books by foreign and Russian authors. We work together with academics, specialists and journalists who want to share their knowledge of the Baikal area and ideas for its future. The main purpose of these publications is to make environmental information more accessible to the general public, and stimulate citizens' involvement.

Video publications and working with the media

“Baikal Environmental Wave” collects environmental films, social advertisements and news reports from local and national TV companies.

Our specialized environmental video collection consists of more than 100 Russian and foreign films, including our own productions (8 documentary films on pressing local issues). We also make translations into Russian of important foreign films.

The “Baikal Environmental Wave” press services provide the media with information through our website (www.baikalwave.eu.org) and our mailing list.

Volunteers

“Baikal Environmental Wave’s” work attracts the interest of many environmentally minded young people. Until now we have had around 40 Russian and foreign volunteers working for our organization. They work with children in our ‘Eco-school’ project, take part in public protests and campaigns, and help to create and promote our publications and films.