Examples of Human Environmental Damage

Environmental damage often coincides with human settlement. Many of Russia's environmental challenges date back to Soviet-era industrial practices. Sewage and chemical pollutants from the country's industrial centers and urban areas have contaminated the air, waterways, and bodies of water, including the Black Sea, the Caspian Sea (the world's largest inland body of water by area), and Lake Baikal (the world's oldest and deepest lake). Let's look at some examples.

Until its closure in 2009, the Bajkal'sk Paper Mill, shown in Figure 3.2, was a major source of Lake Baikal's pollution. In spite of its designation as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, proposed oil and gas exploration now threatens Lake Baikal's biodiversity.