Novorossiysk joins the BreatheLife campaign:

Novorossiysk has joined the BreatheLife campaign. The city administration in line with the advice of the Russian Ecological Society, committed to reducing pollutant emissions by 5% to 60,800 tons until 2030.

In 2020, the total emissions of pollutants from stationary sources in the city were 64,100 tons. The main emissions were CO carbon monoxide; nitrogen oxide and dioxide NO, NO₂; SO₂ Sulphur dioxide.

The main source of pollution in Novorossiysk is heavy industry. The industry has a wide scope, such as machine building, wood processing, metallurgy, construction, cement, and food, so the city deals with complex management of polluting substances.

In 2000, motor vehicle emissions became a major influence on emissions as public and private transport developed rapidly. Thus in the transport sector, the city will add 27 new trolleybus to the existing fleet as well as extend and build new lines; purchase new buses; improve the route network, taking into account the needs of passengers; reorganize  freight and passenger traffic by construction of road from Zemdolina street to Portovaya street as well as the road “Yuzhny Obhod” (“Southern Bypass”), so that lorries are restricted to certain roads.

Once these changes have been implemented, it is expected that there will be a significant reduction in commuter travel time, increased accessibility of public transport and no vehicle congestion in the city center.

In addition, the city announced that on weekends some streets will be closed to traffic, which will provide more space for pedestrians to walk. A unified network of bike lanes will also be installed on more than 20 streets.

In terms of electric vehicles, new charging stations will be installed in shopping malls and municipal parking lots across the city. According to the national government, there are currently 98 electric vehicles registered in Novorossiysk.

The city has also taken up the task of improving the state waste management system, by improving solid waste collection and upgrading the wastewater treatment plants. A programme is currently under way to introduce separate collection of solid municipal waste and by 2023 the city will introduce separate collection of plastic and waste.

The campaigns “Beach without waste” and “Green business” have also been started. The main task of the projects is to raise public awareness of conscious consumption, with the involvement of business representatives. Recycling bins will be placed in schools, nurseries and public spaces such as beach and camping areas across the region.

The city’s Advisory Council on Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises is also working with local businesses to encourage a switch to biodegradable packaging as an alternative to polyethylene packages. Special attention is being given to involving producers of biodegradable material.

In Novorossiysk natural gas has for long been used as a fuel for heating. Now, there are plans to install energy-saving light fixtures for street lighting and solar-powered lamps in children’s playgrounds, on pedestrian crossings, as well as in the City Administration building. Smart energy meters are also being installed in apartment blocks.

Air quality monitoring is currently being carried out at five stationary ecological posts. A plan is being implemented to reduce dust production during coal-mining operations on the East pier, including specialized vehicles with dust-absorbing capacity, portable dust-suppressants, and partial equipment of the port’s forklifts with a water-spraying system.

Finally, in 2021, the city increased the number of protected areas by 150,000 hectares.