Gazprom’s Management Committee has ratified the Environmental Policy and a list of paramount environmental activities up to 2010.

The Management Committee entrusted Gazprom’s core business units with developing and submitting for approval a plan of paramount environmental activities to be implemented up to 2010.

Background:

Gazprom’s business has strategic significance for the economy of Russia and other countries, affects the interests of millions of people. The environmental impact made by Gazprom during its activities determines the Company’s social responsibility.

Being aware of this responsibility, in 1995 Gazprom became one of the first companies in Russia to ratify the Environmental Policy.

The expanded activities of Gazprom as a global energy company and an increased number of countries and regions where the Company operates, as well as changes in international and Russian environmental law have predetermined the development and enactment of a restated Environmental Policy reflecting the modern environmental and energy saving tendencies.

The analysis was made and previous environmental policies of most prominent Russian and foreign companies were considered during the preparation of the restated Environmental Policy.

Gazprom believes it is possible to find a balanced solution to the socioeconomic problems and issues with regard to retaining the favorable environment and natural resource potential.

Under Gazprom’s new Environmental Policy, sustainable development is the main operating principle envisaging dynamic economic development along with the maximally efficient utilization of natural resources and saving of the favorable environment for next generations.  

To implement this principle, Gazprom assumes the obligations as follows:
complying with all the standards stipulated by Russian law and international legal acts referring to the environmental protection, following the Russian Ecological Doctrine principles;
conserving resources, decreasing negative environmental impacts, doing its best to preserve the climate & biodiversity and to compensate against all possible environmental damages;
boosting energy efficiency at all operating stages;
permanently improving both components –  the Company’s environmental activities and environmental management;
preventing pollution, which means the priority of preventive actions aimed at preventing negative environmental impacts over actions stepped to handle their consequences;
continuously improving labor protection and industrial safety, organizing labor activities in line with the HSE standards;
taking into account the interests and rights of native minorities to live according to their traditions and to preserve the primordial living environment;
gasifying settlements and expanding the utilization of gas as a vehicle fuel to improve the living standards and safety of the Russian population;
continuously ensuring professional and environmental training of the Company’s personnel;
ensuring broad availability of environmental data on Gazprom’s operational activity and transparency of its environmental activities as well as decisions taken in this area.

The long-term strategic targets in the environmental area are:
minimizing specific negative environmental impacts (per unit of marketable output);
improving the efficiency utilization for non-renewable natural resources and energy sources;
involving all of the Company’s employees in reducing environmental risks, upgrading the ecological management system and environmental performance indices.

Gazprom’s list of paramount environmental activities up to 2010 stipulates activities targeted at practically implementing the Company’s obligations and meeting the strategic aims fixed in the new Environmental Policy.