Environmental policy in oil-producing regions of Siberia and the Urals: Implementation of environmental protection mechanisms

Introduction: one of the current study areas in environmental policy of the oil-producing Russian regions is the analysis of the interaction practice between the main stakeholders – government, business and society – on issues related to environmental protection. Objectives: to reconstruct the environmental policy mechanisms in relation to environmental protection and maintaining environmental well-being in the oil-producing regions of Siberia and the Urals. Methods: desk research, sociological (questionnaire) survey and media monitoring based on the “Medialogy” mediametrics system. Results: the review of supervisory practices revealed an increase in inspections and criminal cases against oil and gas companies, as well as a major source of violations related to the development and exploitation of oil fields. The adverse environmental situation in the country has been recognized at the legislative level, and a general course of action to reduce the burden on the environment has been outlined. According to the results of sociological studies, the ecological identity of the population in oil-producing regions is characterized by the following parameters: 73 % of respondents recognize the potential risk but assess the environmental situation as satisfactory. The proximity to the large hydrocarbon business, according to the population, is an additional resource for the territory development, and the measures taken by oil companies to maintain environmental well-being are sufficient. The media discourse found through «oil fields» search query is predominantly neutral, and environmental problems or environmental conflicts issues are not specifically pronounced in it. Conclusions: the effectiveness of environmental protection policy is determined by a strategy of compromise between all actors in the field of natural resources management and by the coordination of administrative and control measures objectives, legislative and legal practices and public instruments.