Scientists from the BRICS countries discussed environmental blackmail from Western countries

Will the BRICS countries, having united, be able to work out their own path in protecting the environment, preserving biodiversity, as well as a common adaptation strategy in a changing climate – this was discussed at the first scientific conference of the union. It took place at the Karelian Scientific Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences, in Petrozavodsk. The MK correspondent was present at its main sections.

Let us recall that currently the BRICS international union includes Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. From January 1, 2024, Argentina, Egypt, Iran, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Ethiopia are planning to join the association. The changing world requires increasing the scientific potential of countries, in particular in the field of rational environmental management. This was discussed by the scientists and politicians from the Federation Council, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the leadership of the Republic of Karelia who were present at the meeting.

The main question concerned how to counter a threat that, of course, sooner or later will affect all of humanity – global warming. There are other problems that are introduced by man. This is the pollution of nature through irrational use of resources, careless disposal of radioactive waste, and reduction in biodiversity of species.

“I belong to the generation that remembers how plastic was gradually introduced into our lives, how all paper packaging was converted to it, and how everyone was happy that it was hygienic, cheap and practical,” says the first deputy chairman of the Committee on Defense and Security of the Federation Council Russian Federation Vladimir Chizhov. “And what it turned out to be: biologists claim that after some time every fish in the waters of the world’s oceans will have an unacceptable content of plastic in their bodies!”

Everything is clear with “plastic” fish: we need to save them, and as soon as possible, otherwise we will all soon have to say goodbye to delicious fish dishes due to their indigestibility.

But, for example, scientists have not yet come to a consensus regarding getting rid of internal combustion engines – at least for the coming decades. This issue, according to Chizhov, is closely tied to politics and economics. Representatives of developed Western countries insist on ending the use of hydrocarbons in the coming decades, but the developing countries of the so-called Great South will then find themselves in an even more difficult economic situation than now, since the transition to “green” energy requires time and capital investment.

By demanding an immediate transition to green energy, denying the world the use of more accessible and cheaper energy resources: oil, coal, gas and even nuclear energy, Western politicians, according to Chizhov, simply ignore long-term forecasts of climate change and the arrival of a new ice age, which everyone is talking about more and more scientists.

“The fight for the environment is in direct conflict with economic growth and improving the quality of life of the population of a number of countries,” the politician sums up. “At the same time, the same countries of the collective West, without a twinge of conscience, export more and more dirty technologies to the countries of the global South, and then propose to impose an additional tax on them for this. What is more here – unfair competition or direct political pressure – is a matter of debate, but this is definitely not concern for the environment.”

The topic of problems of the global South was supported by a participant from India – diplomat Navdeep Suri, who is also a leading employee of the Indian Independent Analytical Center. He told the audience that at the recent G20 meeting, his country discussed with other G20 members the climate agenda and related issues in the global South. The main thing, he said, is that the transition to green energy be fair and accessible to everyone.

Other conference participants added that abandoning hydrocarbons does not yet promise an end to the problems. So, in particular, no one can yet say how, with the widespread introduction of electric vehicles, we will level out the environmental impact of the production, operation, and then disposal of their batteries.

There is no unity in Europe itself on the complex issue of using hydrocarbons. So, according to one of the speakers, not long ago the state government of North Rhine-Westphalia decided that they were “closing” the topic of wind turbines and returning to the use of… coal! They came to the conclusion that this method of heating houses is reliable and does not depend on the weather. And Budapest and Belgrade came out in defense of the Nord Streams from Russia, saying that from now on any attempt to damage the much-needed gas lines will be considered by them as a reason to declare war.

In general, the conference participants, like the participants of the XV BRICS summit, held from August 22 to 24 in Johannesburg, South Africa, came to the conclusion that measures to combat the environment should be progressive, reasonable and not lead to discrimination against weaker countries.

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Amid conversations about developing collective steps to preserve nature, a representative of the Center for Marine Research of Moscow State University. Lomonosov Alexander Shestakov gave an example of how our partners in the BRICS alliance are actively involved in work even in such a seemingly unusual area as Arctic ecology. In particular, China already has its own research stations on Spitsbergen and is actively building icebreakers. A number of Indian institutes also deal with issues of Arctic ecology

“All the BRICS countries, perhaps only except South Africa, today have their own national strategies for the Arctic!,” says Shestakov. “What might interest them there?” The scientist jokes that at least migratory birds from the Arctic are present in all BRICS countries. Well, none of these countries will definitely refuse to discuss issues of developing the infrastructure of the Northern Sea Route.