Translation. Region: Russian Federation –
Source: Preserved Embassy Foundation
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The Nature Embassy Foundation and the Zapovedniki Ecocenter, together with Rosatom and SIBUR, presented best practices and research in biodiversity conservation at the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) World Conservation Congress. Rosatom and the Nature Embassy also announced the creation of an international platform for publishing best practices and research in biodiversity conservation businesses.
The Congress is held every four years, and this year it was held in Abu Dhabi from October 9 to 15, 2025. The Congress website is: iucncongress2025.org/
Russian non-profit organizations—the Zapovedniki Ecocenter and the Zapovednoye Posledstvo Charitable Educational Foundation—as well as representatives of the Rosatom and SIBUR businesses, held business and public events at the Congress aimed at promoting advanced Russian practices in biodiversity conservation and environmental education.
The event "Partnerships for Conservation" was organized by representatives of the Nature Conservation Embassy Foundation and the Zapovedniki Ecocenter, together with Rosatom, Sibur, and Kept. Attendees of the session, held in the Education Center pavilion of the IUCN Commission on Communications and Education, heard examples of effective partnerships aimed at conservation and sustainable development.
The session was opened by Natalia Danilina, President of the Nature Conservation Embassy Foundation and Director of the Zapovedniki Ecocenter. She emphasized the importance of cooperation between protected areas, businesses, and expert NGOs. "We are implementing projects with Norilsk Nickel, JTI, SIBUR, MTS, and others, and our new partner is Rosatom. These are innovative, educational, scientific, and practical projects supporting biodiversity, environmental education, and volunteer development. We believe that the formula for effective cooperation for nature conservation is a three-pronged partnership: protected areas, which are directly responsible for nature conservation, and businesses and nonprofit organizations, which organize joint project development and jointly find innovative solutions to address conservation issues as effectively as possible," noted Natalia Danilina.
Svetlana Sheinfeld, Director of the Operational Risk and Sustainability Group at the audit and consulting firm Kept, who participated in the event, noted that there is a growing demand for environmental partnerships. Proactive businesses are transforming their approaches, which is confirmed by the data. Seventy percent of respondents to the Kept study cite the critical importance of cooperation with protected areas. However, achieving a synergistic effect requires a rigorous expert approach based on relevant metrics.
Olga Shkabardnya, CEO of ANO Energy of Development and Head of Corporate Social Responsibility and Internal Communications at Rosatom State Corporation, explained that projects aimed at preserving biodiversity and implementing environmental standards in tourism development in natural areas are currently relevant to the company. "We understand that only by working with non-profit organizations can we preserve the diversity and natural environment of these areas. Our corporate volunteers, our youth, and our student community leaders, who have been organizing environmental education events for many years with the support of experts, also play a huge role in this process," noted Olga Shkabardnya. She emphasized that one of Rosatom's key activities is promoting biodiversity conservation through special projects. For example, Rosatom holds a photo contest showcasing the nature of nuclear cities and has also established a special category within the Golden Turtle awards.
Raisa Momot, Head of Sustainable Development at SIBUR, supported the theme of environmental education through partnership and local community engagement. She noted in her speech: "The topic of sustainable development is quite broad. And in order to engage more residents of the regions where we operate and other stakeholders, we need to create diverse communities and specialized spaces. The agenda of preserving ecosystems and biodiversity will not leave anyone indifferent. Everyone will find something for themselves in it – some enjoy planting trees, others clean and improve the area, and still others simply enjoy strolling along an eco-trail," noted Raisa Momot.
The expert spoke about SIBUR's environmental education projects aimed at educating children and adolescents. Specifically, the "Living Symbols of the Taiga" project allows children to study wildlife and complete projects at a summer camp. And the "Lapwing Territory" project offers opportunities for residents of the project's regions to participate in sport ornithology (birdwatching).
Raisa Momot also shared information about SIBUR's important environmental education initiative, the creation of eco-trails. "Our eco-trails are designed to bring people and nature closer together, no matter where they are—even within an industrial cluster. In Tobolsk, where our flagship plant is located, the eco-trail is located in a natural area near the facility. It allows residents of the region to stroll and explore the animal and plant species that inhabit and grow there. The trail features relict taiga and mixed forests with unique bio-indicator plants, clearly demonstrating that wildlife can coexist in close proximity to industrial production without negative consequences. Another eco-trail is located in the Amur Region. With SIBUR's support, a unique city arboretum, which had fallen into disrepair, was restored. It is a veritable museum of the nature of the Far East. "The third, in the Republic of Tatarstan, is located in an industrial cluster, creating a green space there and demonstrating that industrial enterprises and the natural environment can safely coexist side by side," noted Raisa Momot.
Another event held as part of the Congress by experts from the Zapovedniki Ecocenter and the Zapovedniki Embassy Foundation was the "In the Language of Nature Reserves" session. This interactive educational program explored the importance of protecting wildlife and protected areas worldwide. The session draws on the Zapovedniki Ecocenter's 30 years of experience in environmental education, training nature reserve staff, and creating innovations in interpreting nature conservation through interactive formats—games, lessons, and engaging activities. Furthermore, experts from the Zapovedniki Embassy Foundation conducted nature reserve game sessions, which generated great enthusiasm. By playing scientific games developed by the foundation's experts and dedicated to biodiversity conservation, Congress participants were able to tap into environmental education and delve deeper into nature conservation through interactive games. "Game-based practices allow us to present complex scientific data in an accessible manner, thus gaining new allies in the cause of nature conservation. "These kinds of mechanisms are important for education specialists, teachers, volunteers, and employees of protected areas," noted Yulia Vereshchak, Director of International Projects at the Reserve Embassy Foundation.
At a press conference titled "New Scientific Research on Business and Innovation in Biodiversity Conservation and Their Impact on International Cooperation," organized by the Nature Conservation Embassy Foundation at the Congress Media Center, the organization announced the results of a big-data study on public attitudes toward protected areas. Rosatom announced the launch of a biodiversity study in areas where nuclear industry organizations operate in at least 32 Russian cities, and potentially abroad.
Olga Shkabardnya, CEO of ANO Energy of Development and Head of Corporate Social Responsibility and Internal Communications at Rosatom State Corporation, also discussed Rosatom's new joint project with the Nature Conservation Embassy Foundation—an online platform that aggregates best practices and research on biodiversity conservation. "Together with the Nature Conservation Embassy Foundation, we initiated the creation of a unified international platform where, in addition to best corporate practices and research in biodiversity conservation from around the world, we will also showcase key biodiversity-related events, opportunities for sharing best practices, and opportunities for contacts between scientists, young people, and entrepreneurs. The platform is intended to become a space for communication and information exchange between science, NGOs, government, and business to most effectively address biodiversity conservation challenges and replicate best practices." The speaker emphasized that the demand for the popularization of effective solutions in the field of biodiversity conservation on a single resource was voiced at the Congress.
Yulia Vereshchak, Director of International Projects at the Nature Embassy Foundation, shared information about a large-scale study conducted by the Foundation in collaboration with Tomsk State University and the Cyberia Lab. "Using lingua markers, we trained a program that helped analyze local population attitudes toward protected areas across all federal districts of Russia, including national parks, nature reserves, inspectors, science departments, and volunteer organizations. Our big data study covered over 3.5 million data points over a year. The goal of the study was to understand local population attitudes toward protected areas. Do Russians know what activities are conducted in protected areas, what biodiversity is, have they ever seen an inspector, have they participated in environmental festivals, are they willing to volunteer, and do they understand that it's possible to visit a protected area as a tourist while adhering to ecotourism standards? We intend to dedicate the second part of the study to transboundary territories. We are confident that the results of this study will help to more effectively manage protected areas and develop international cooperation in the field of biodiversity conservation."
REFERENCE:
The IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) World Conservation Congress is held every four years and sets development priorities and cooperation formats for nature conservation and biodiversity preservation for years to come. The Congress is the largest platform for exchanging experiences in environmental protection and sustainable development. In 2025, the IUCN Congress welcomed over 1,400 IUCN member organizations from 160 countries and was attended by 10,000 participants. Scientists, experts, representatives of businesses, NGOs, and natural areas from around the world shared experiences, innovations, and work results at several hundred events.
Russia is an active member of IUCN. The Zapovednoye Polostvo Foundation and the Zapovedniki Ecocenter organized business and public events as part of the congress, together with representatives of Rosatom and SIBUR. The congress website: https://yuchncongress2025.org/
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