Throughout the history of its existence, mankind has had a detrimental effect on the environment. Since the beginning of the 20th century, the impact of people on nature has increased hundreds of times. Environmental disasters in Russia and around the world that have occurred over the past decades have significantly aggravated the already deplorable state of our planet.
Causes of environmental disasters
Practically all major environmental disasters on our planet have occurred through the fault of man. Employees working in industrial enterprises with a high level of danger often neglect their duties. The slightest mistake or inattention of the staff can lead to irreversible consequences. By neglecting safety regulations, workers at enterprises endanger not only their own lives, but also the safety of the entire population of the country.
In a desire to save money, the government allows businesses to mindlessly use natural resources, dump toxic waste into water bodies. Greedmakes a person forget about the consequences for nature, which his actions can lead to.
In an effort to quell panic among the population, governments often withhold from people the true consequences of environmental disasters. Examples of such misinformation among residents are the accident at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant and the release of anthrax spores in Sverdlovsk. If the government had taken the necessary measures in time and informed the population of the areas affected by the infection about what had happened, a huge number of victims could have been avoided.
In rare cases, natural disasters can lead to environmental disasters. Earthquakes, tsunamis, hurricanes and tornadoes can provoke accidents at enterprises with hazardous production. Unfavorable weather conditions can lead to large-scale forest fires.
The worst disaster in the history of mankind
The largest accident in the history of mankind, which entailed terrible consequences for the population of Russia, Ukraine and other countries of Eastern Europe, occurred on April 26, 1986. On this day, through the fault of the employees of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, a powerful explosion occurred in the power unit.
As a result of the accident, a huge dose of radiation was released into the atmosphere. Within a radius of 30 kilometers from the epicenter of the explosion, people will not be able to live for many years, and radioactive clouds scattered around the world. Rains and snows containing radioactive particles passed in various parts of the planet, causingirreparable harm to all living beings. The consequences of this major catastrophe will affect nature for more than one century.
The Aral Sea Disaster
The Soviet Union for many years carefully concealed the ever-deteriorating state of the Aral Sea-Lake. Once it was the fourth largest lake in the world with a wide variety of underwater inhabitants, rich fauna and flora along its shores. Withdrawal of water from the rivers feeding the Aral for irrigation of agricultural plantations led to the fact that the lake began to shallow very quickly.
For several decades, the water level in the Aral Sea has decreased by more than 9 times, while salinity has increased almost 7 times. All this led to the extinction of freshwater fish and other inhabitants of the lake. The dried-up bottom of the once majestic reservoir has turned into a lifeless desert.
In addition to all this, pesticides and agricultural pesticides that got into the waters of the Aral Sea were deposited on the dried bottom. They are carried by winds over the vast territory around the Aral Sea, as a result of which the state of flora and fauna is deteriorating, and the local population suffers from various diseases.
The drying up of the Aral Sea has led to irreversible consequences, both for nature and for humans. The governments of the countries of the former Soviet Union, on whose territory the lake is now located, do not take any measures to improve the current situation. The unique natural complex is beyond restoration.
Other environmental disasters in Russia that went down in history
On the territory of Russia over the past decades, there have been other environmental disasters that have gone down in history. Examples of such are the Usinsk and Lovinsky disasters.
In 1994, Russia experienced the world's largest oil spill on land. More than 100,000 tons of oil spilled into the Pechora forests as a result of an oil pipeline break. All flora and fauna in the territory of the breakthrough was destroyed. The consequences of the accident, despite the restoration work carried out, will make themselves felt for a long time.
Another oil pipeline burst in Russia occurred in 2003 near Khanty-Mansiysk. More than 100 thousand tons of oil spilled into the Mulymya River, covering it with an oily film. The flora and fauna of the river and its environs were subjected to mass extinction.
Recent environmental disasters in Russia
The biggest environmental disasters in Russia that have occurred over the past decade are the accidents at the Novocheboksarsk enterprise of Khimprom JSC, which resulted in the release of chlorine into the atmosphere, and the hole in the Druzhba oil pipeline in the Bryansk region. Both tragedies occurred in 2006. As a result of disasters, residents of nearby areas, as well as plants and animals, suffered.
Forest fires that blazed throughout Russia in 2005 can also be attributed to environmental disasters. The fire destroyed hundreds of hectares of forest, and the inhabitants of large cities were suffocated by the smog.
How to prevent environmental disasters
In order to prevent new environmental disasters in Russia, a number of urgent measures must be taken. They should be aimed primarily at improving safety and strengthening the responsibility of employees working at hazardous industrial enterprises. Responsibility for this, first of all, should be assumed by the Ministry of Ecology of the country.
After the accident at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, an article appeared in Russian legislation prohibiting hiding the scale and consequences of environmental disasters from the population. People have the right to know about the environmental situation in their area of residence.
Before developing new industries and territories, people need to think through all the consequences for nature and evaluate the rationality of their actions.
