Programme

Environmental issues and compliance with environmental legislation are becoming increasingly more important. The illegal emission of pollutants and challenging environmental position of several of the country’s industrial centres have led citizens to insistently express their discontent with the measures taken by supervisory bodies. This has sparked new initiatives to introduce independent public environmental supervision and assessments of existing and proposed facilities. A certain level of ambiguity about the procedure, powers, and liabilities of environmental supervision remains, which could lead to the abuse of powers or, in certain cases, widespread public misinformation. Furthermore, the development of certain industries and the ability of companies to enter highly competitive international markets have in some cases been impeded. This could also serve as a means to maintain the development of domestic industry in key sectors, develop new infrastructure, and maintain Russia’s energy independence. Does current Russian legislation support the notion of public environmental expertise? What are the official status, rights, and powers of civil eco-activists in Russia and abroad? How is the dialogue between government, business, and the environmental community being conducted today, and what is impeding finding the balance between diverging interests? How are other countries dealing with this challenge? What is the responsibility of environmental activists? Could a federal law on public environmental expertise improve the status of civil eco-activists and ensure impartial public control over the state of the environment?

Moderator
Vladimir Solovyov, Anchor, Russia TV Channel

Vladimir Solovyov

Anchor, Russia TV Channel

Vladimir Solovyov (born October 10, 1963) – journalist, radio and television presenter. Graduated MISIS and did postgraduate studies at Institute of World Economics and Public Relations, holds PhD in Economics. In the early 1990s lived and worked in the US.
Between 1997 and 2010 hosted Solovyinie Treli on Serebryaniy Dozhd radio. Works on TV since 1999 where hosted a variety of shows such as Process (ORT), Strasti po Solovyevu (TNT), Zavtrak s Solovyevim and Solovyinaya Noch (TV-6), Smotrite Kto Prishel and Poedinok (TVC), Apelsinovy Sok and K Bar’eru (NTV). Since September, 2010 hosts Poedinok and Voskresny Vecher on Russia-1 TV channel and polniy Kontakt on Vesti FM radio.
Solovyev wrote a number of books, such as Emprie of Corruption, Enemies of Russia, Manipulations. Attack and Defend, We’re Russians. God is with Us, Putin. Medvedyev. What’s Next? Solovyev vs. Solovyev, Putin. Guidebook for the Empathetic, Russian Roulette, and others.
Delivers one-man shows at MKHAT in Moscow twice a year as well as public performances in St Petersburg and all over Russia and lectures and trainings for top-management of Russian companies.
Married, has 8 children.

Panellists
Vladimir Grachev, Advisor to the General Director, State Atomic Energy Corporation ROSATOM
Carsten Drebenstedt, Chair of the Professorship in Mining and Surface Mining, Faculty of Geosciences, Geoengineering and Mining, Technische Universität Bergakademie Freiberg
Sergei Ivanov, Special Presidential Representative for Environmental Protection, Ecology and Transport
Denis Manturov, Minister of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation
Sergey Mikheev, Political Scientist; General Director, Institute for Caspian Cooperation
Oleg Sienko, First Vice President, Russian Copper Company
Irina Yarovaya, Deputy Chairman of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation

Carsten Drebenstedt

Chair of the Professorship in Mining and Surface Mining, Faculty of Geosciences, Geoengineering and Mining, Technische Universität Bergakademie Freiberg

Carsten Drebenstedt is since 1999 Professor of Surface Mining and was from 2000 - 2006 Vice-Rector of research and from 2013 to 2016 dean of the faculty of geoscience, geoengineering and mining at Technische Universität Bergakademie Freiberg. Before he starts his career at university, he worked 17 years in different positions in production and planning departments in German lignite industry, including reclamtion and land planning department, and was member of the board of an International Consulting Company.
Fields of teaching and research activities are mine planning, mining technologies, ecology in mining, reclamation, mine water management and raw material awareness. Carsten Drebenstedt is invited lecturer in Kasakhstan, Kenia, Laos, Namibia, Serbia, Slovakia, and Russia, and involved in accreditation missions for geology/mining related study courses in Germany, Romania and Kasakhstan. He is Secretary General of the World Forum of Resource Universities on Sustainability (WFURS), and member of the Society of Mining Professors (SOMP) where he represented Europe in the Council from 2006 to 2015. Up to know he has organised more than 50 national and international conferences and published like co-editor/ co-author 16 books in German, Mongolian and Russian languages, further he edited more than 60 proceedings, and more than 400 papers in scientific journals, conference-proceedings and university publications. He is member of the Saxonian academy of sciences and other international scientific academies. He is awarded with honour PhD in Russia, Ukraine, Romania, and Bulgaria, honour professor in Mongolia, honour geologist of Mongolia, and honour miner of Vietnam.

Sergei Ivanov

Special Presidential Representative for Environmental Protection, Ecology and Transport

Born on 31 January in Leningrad. Graduated from the Translation Department of the Faculty of Philology of Leningrad State University and then completed higher courses of the USSR KGB in Minsk.
1981-1998 – Worked his way up from an operations officer of the First Main Directorate of the USSR KGB to First Deputy Head of a directorate of the Foreign Intelligence Service of the Russian Federation. Had three extended overseas assignments in Nordic countries and Africa. Following the reorganisation of the KGB, he continued work in the Foreign Intelligence Service of the Russian Federation and then in the Federal Security Service (FSB) of the Russian Federation.
August 1998 – Deputy Director of the FSB and Director of the FSB Department for Analysis, Forecasting and Strategic Planning.
15 November 1999 – Secretary of the Security Council of the Russian Federation. Colonel General in reserve.
28 March 2001 – Minister of Defence of the Russian Federation.
14 November 2005 – Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation and Minister of Defence of the Russian Federation.
16 February 2007 – Appointed First Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation.
12 May 2008 – Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation.
22 December 2011 – Chief of Staff of the Presidential Administration.
12 August 2016 - Special Presidential Representative for Environmental Protection, Ecology and Transport.
Speaks English and Swedish.
Married with one son.

Denis Manturov

Minister of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation

Denis Manturov was born on February 23, 1969, in Murmansk.
Education:
1994 – Lomonosov Moscow State University, major in Sociology.
1997 – Postgraduate studies at Moscow State University, PhD.
2002 – Doctoral programme at Moscow Aviation Institute.
2006 – Russian Academy of Public Service under the President of the Russian Federation, major in Law.
Professional experience:
1998 – Appointed Deputy General Director of Ulan-Ude Aviation Plant.
2000 – Appointed Commercial Director of Mil Moscow Helicopter Plant.
2001 – Appointed Deputy Chairman of State Investment Corporation (Gosincor).
2003 – Appointed General Director of OAO OPK Oboronprom.
2007 – Appointed Deputy Minister of Industry and Energy of the Russian Federation.
2008 – Appointed Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation.
2012 – Appointed acting Minister of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation.
2012 – Appointed Minister of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation.
Awards:
2007 – Awarded the Medal of the Order “For Merit to the Fatherland (Second Class)”.
2008 – Awarded the Order of Friendship.
2009 – Awarded the Order of Honour.
2010 – Awarded an Honorary Certificate of the Government of the Russian Federation.
2013 – Awarded the Order “For Merit to the Fatherland (Fourth Class)”.
Additional information:
Active State Advisor of the Russian Federation (First Class).
Mr. Manturov was included in the “Golden 100” Personnel Management Reserve under the patronage of the President of the Russian Federation.
He speaks multiple foreign languages.
He is married with a daughter and a son.

Sergey Mikheev

Political Scientist; General Director, Institute for Caspian Cooperation

Director General of the Institute for Caspian Cooperation
Education:
1999 Philosophy Department (Faculty of Political Science) of the Lomonosov Moscow State University
Positions held:
1997–2000 fellow member of the Laboratory of Regional Political Studies of the Lomonosov Moscow State University
1998–2001 Expert at the Centre for Current Policy of Russia
Since 1999 Expert at the Centre for Political Technologies
Since 2001 Leading expert at the Centre for Political Technologies, political analyst of the Politcom.ru website
Since 2004 Head of the CIS Countries Department of the Centre for Political Technologies
Since 2008 Vice-President of the Centre for Political Technologies
Since 2005 Deputy Director General of the CPT
In the 2000s he was engaged in assessment of political, social and economic situation in the regions of operation of major oil companies.
Academic research focus:
Integration in the post-Soviet states, as well as a wide range of international topics

Oleg Sienko

First Vice President, Russian Copper Company

Born in 1966 in the town of Bataisk (the Rostov region). Graduated from Gubkin Russian State University of Oil and Gas with a Degree in Economics and Management of oil and gas enterprises. Also, got a Degree in Economics at International Management Institute and a Post-graduate Degree at the Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration.
Oleg Sienko started his career in 1988 in Irkutsk as an instructor of the “Youth Initiative of Irkutsk” association, forming a part of the City Committee of Komsomol.
In 2002, he was appointed Director General at OOO Gazexport, a subsidiary of Gazprom that was responsible for gas supplies to Europe.
In 2003, Oleg Sienko was appointed Deputy Chairman of the Board – Head of Strategic Development and Corporate Management Division at OAO NGK Intera.
From 2009 to 2017, he was Director General at OAO “Scientific Production Corporation «Uralvagonzavod» (Nizhniy Tagil).
Oleg Sienko joined Russian Copper Company in February 2018, in the position of First Vice President he is responsible for federal government relations.
Oleg Sienkohas been awarded the Order of Honour, IV Class Order “For Merit to the Fatherland”, II class medal of the Order “For Merit to the Fatherland”, medal for “Excellence in Service in Ground Forces”. He also got a Certificate of Gratitude from the President of the Russian Federation, Certificate of Honour from the President of the Russian Federation, Honorary Title "Honoured Industrial Engineer" and a number of ministerial awards.

Irina Yarovaya

Deputy Chairman of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation

Born on October 17, 1966. College degree in Law and Public and Municipal Administration.
In 1988 joined Prosecutor’s Office in Kamchatka, where she various positions, including Deputy Prosecutor of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky and Head of Investigation Department in Kamchatka Oblast.
In 1997 was elected to the Council of People’s Deputy in Kamchatka twice.
In 2007 and 2011 elected a Deputy of the State Duma (Member of the United Russia Party). First female Chairperson of Duma’s Committee on Security and Anti-Corruption in the history of Russia’s parliaments.
In 2016 elected Deputy Chairperson of the State Duma.
Honored Lawyer of the Russian Federation.
According to experts, she’s one of Duma’s 5 most efficient deputies. Authored 199 legislative acts, including 121 already signed by the President.
Most memorable ones for the Far East include: ban on drift fishing, multiple border crossing by fishing vessels, compulsory registration of fishing facilities in the region, where fishing is held, simplified call at the Far-Eastern ports for international cruise ships.
Head of the Central Control Commission in the United Russia Party.
Member of the Russian Language Arts Society (headed by Patriarch Kirill).