NCI 2024
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    A wide variety of ecosystems, from arctic deserts and tundra to taiga, mixed forests, and subtropics, all in the world’s biggest country- Russia. The largest wetland systems in the world, 7.762 million km² (2.9969 million mi²) of forests, and various soil types are among its natural treasures. Although 65% of its territory is yet untouched, pressures such as pollution, illegal logging, and climate change cause significant threats. Strong legal frameworks alone are unable to address issues such as cuts in financing and international sanctions imposed after the invasion, which hampered the progress of conservation.

    Future plans focus on including biodiversity values into development initiatives and strengthening international collaboration. But, the current war situation raises doubts about how successfully these plans can be implemented. Peace builds, war destroys, and the way forward will only become clear with time.

    Score Rank Change
    Total Score – NCI 2024 50.6 146 N/A
    Land Management 45 142 N/A
    Protected Areas (Terrestrial) 39 134 N/A
    Ecological Representativeness of Terrestrial Protected Areas 22 174 N/A
    Connectedness of Terrestrial Protected Areas 69 29 N/A
    Protected Areas (Marine) 7 74 N/A
    Pristine Habitat (Converted Land) 100 1 N/A
    Sustainable Nitrogen Management (Soil Pollution) 45 58 N/A
    Sustainable Pesticide Use 30 91 N/A
    Threats to Biodiversity 59 125 N/A
    Threatened Species (Terrestrial) 82 124 N/A
    Threatened Species (Marine) 66 56 N/A
    Threatened Species’ Coverage by Protected Areas 91 89 N/A
    Species Coverage by Marine Protected Areas 68 125 N/A
    Species with Declining Populations (Terrestrial) 20 133 N/A
    Species with Declining Populations (Marine) 6 8 N/A
    Depleted Fisheries 23 29 N/A
    Fishery Pressure in the High Seas 97 134 N/A
    Invasive Species Pressure 82 141 N/A
    Capacity and Governance 62 104 N/A
    Total Management Cost 96 90 N/A
    Conservation Culturomics 50 57 N/A
    Conservation Legislation 62 20 N/A
    Ratification of CBD 100 1 N/A
    Ratification of CITES 100 1 N/A
    Political Stability and Absence of Violence 30 124 N/A
    Control of Corruption 30 141 N/A
    Government Effectiveness 36 126 N/A
    Future Trends 37 120 N/A
    Climate Change Mitigation 37 120 N/A


    Four pillars elaborated:

    Land Management

     Russia is home to vast forest areas, covering approximately 8 million km² (3.0888 million mi², 5% of the Earth’s total land area). The Russian taiga alone is greater than the Amazon Rainforest. Over the past 20 years, Russia has lost 640,000 km² (247,105.28 mi²) of tree cover, an 8.4% decrease, accounting for 17% of global forest loss, with 56,000 km² (21,621.71mi² )lost in 2018 alone.

    Russia has over 12,000 protected areas, covering 2 million km² (772200 mi²). Federally managed areas, including 101 strict nature reserves (zapovedniks), 40 national parks, and 69 federal sanctuaries (zakazniks), cover 540,000 km² (208,440 mi²), about 3% of the country.

    20% of Russia is severely affected by human activities, but 65% is unaffected. Protected areas cover 11.4% of terrestrial and inland waters and 2.23% of marine areas. Wetland systems in Russia are the biggest in the world, comprising 1.8 million km² (694,980 mi²) of peatlands and marshes, and they are essential for sequestering carbon. About 80% of Arctic species are found in Russia. The country has the world’s longest coastline, stretching 60,000 km (37282.27 miles) over 13 seas in the Atlantic, Arctic, and Pacific Oceans.

    Biodiversity Sensitivity

     Illegal logging, the replacement of primary forests with secondary species, and increasing forest fires, due to human activity and rising temperatures, lead to the degradation of forest habitats and biodiversity. Infrastructure development and pollutant release, including oil spills, further harm biodiversity. Regulated and unregulated hunting are also significant threats. Estimates suggest that quotas plus actual hunting are far exceeding sustainable limits. Marine biodiversity is also threatened by illicit, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing. Approximately 1,100 rare and endangered plant and animal species are listed in the Russian Red Data Book, RLI score of 0.96, indicating a low risk of species extinction.

    Russia’s isolation with international sanctions following the invasion of Ukraine is one important element that has damaged the country’s biodiversity. This isolation affected vital monitoring systems, such as satellite tracking of migrating animals, discontinued international cooperation on conservation efforts, and blocked funding for conservation initiatives. The resulting lack of coordination threatened the protection of diverse habitats and numerous endangered species.

    Capacity and Governance

     Russia, the largest nation, has a federal structure. The federal level, which comprises the President, the Government, and federal agencies, and the regional level, each with its own executive body, share administrative power. This grants its regions a great deal of liberty, for independent sustainable biodiversity use.

    A strong legislative framework for environmental protection and biodiversity conservation is present. Environmental protection, wildlife, fishing, hunting, and forestry are all covered by federal legislation. The City Building Code adds sustainability into land development processes. This legislative framework is always being refined to align economic measures with global environmental norms. The current legal framework effectively addresses environmental concerns, but it lacks specific provision codes for biodiversity conservation.

    The war’s impact on biodiversity extends globally, revealing governance shocks in Russia’s conservation efforts. The ministry of natural resources and environment leads, however, there is a lack of coordination among Ministries such as Agriculture And Education. There is a need for more improved coordination in war situations.

    Future Trends

     Russia expects to continue addressing the long-term issues of biodiversity loss and ecological degradation in the 21st century. Resolving these issues will get more difficult with increasing anthropogenic impacts. There are plans to tackle these problems by implementing a wide range of policies targeted at reducing unsustainable resource usage, improving resource efficiency, and properly allocating vast land and water resources. Additionally, ensuring that the costs and benefits of biodiversity loss are fairly considered in economic structures. This approach will incentivize the use of sustainable practices while discouraging activities that lead to biodiversity loss and ecosystem damage.

    In order to make sure that conservation efforts are integrated into all facets of society and government, a key component will be the incorporation of biodiversity values into both national and local development plans. The goal is to implement a national strategy (the revised NSAPBC) in a way that is consistent with international agreements such as the CBD, to encourage a common strategy among various government agencies/levels. Biodiversity protection will also be included in regional policy (regional strategies) and spatial planning tools will be used to optimize land use.


    Biodiversity

    Russia is a crucial player in global biodiversity conservation due to its vast size and diverse ecosystems, including expansive wilderness, boreal forests, and peatlands that provide habitats for a multitude of species. The country is home to approximately 12,500 species of vascular plants, including a wide variety of trees, flowers, and shrubs that thrive in different regions. Russia’s flora offers a stunning display of natural beauty, from the luscious forests of Siberia to the breathtaking alpine meadows of the Caucasus.

    The country is also remarkable in terms of animal species, with over 320 species of mammals, including iconic creatures like the Siberian tiger, brown bear, reindeer, and Russian desman. Cold-blooded creatures such as the elusive Amur leopard and the charming Siberian salamander add to the biodiversity tapestry of the country.

    In the table below are the number of known species in several main groups, how many of these species are Threatened with extinction, and how many of them are Endemic (unique to Russia only):


    Species
    (World rank)    		 Threatened % Threatened Endemic % Endemic
    Mammals 325 (#27) 34 10.5% 23 7.1%
    Birds 663 (#45) 58 8.7% 4 0.6%
    Reptiles 90 (#95) 9 10.0% 3 3.3%
    Amphibians 30 (#80)
    Fishes 985 (#53) 65 6.6% 37 3.8%
    Plants 12,500 (#22) 56 0.4% 47 0.4%


    Go To 2024 National Nature Conservation Index Main Page

    Russia

    Expansive, unmatched, diverse — the world's largest land biome

    Score:

    50.6 / 100

    Rank:

    146 / 180