ISAR | Focus Issues

Infrastructure in the former Soviet Union does not lend itself to natural resource conservation. On the contrary, under the guise of supporting economic growth, many FSU governments encourage national and international corporations to develop the vast natural resources in the region, often worsening the local communities. The unsustainable logging of forests in Russia, schemes to redirect the flow of the Ob River system to provide water for Central Asia, and the oil and gas development in the Russian Far East, the Caucasus, and Central Asia are key activities that will shape the environmental future of these regions.

Public participation in the decision-making process governing natural resource extraction and revenue allocation is an important element in preserving the region's natural resources for future generations. Responsible and rational use of these resources can bring both economic growth and support healthy, clean communities. ISAR: Resources for Environmental Activists provides needed advocacy skills to those working to counter the deleterious effects of natural resource exploitation of the environment and communities.

Pipelines and the Public: Ecologists and NGOs on Russia's Oil Boom

Reaching Out to Protect the Caspian

Pipeline Monitoring Project in the Russian Far East

ISAR-Siberia's Forest Preservation Project