An area equal to Monaco was cleared by Norilsk Nickel in the Arctic

Norilsk Nickel is engaged in projects. “Together with the Ministry of Natural Resources, we are implementing the Polar Bear Census program to control the polar bear population. We have also actively joined the program to preserve the gyrfalcon population,” said Nornickel Vice President Andrey Grachev on the sidelines of the Eastern Economic Forum. According to him, these programs in the field of conservation of biological diversity are being implemented in Norilsk and the regions where the company’s divisions are located, and are aimed at reducing the actual anthropogenic impact on the environment.

Norilsk Nickel's carbon footprint is one of the lowest among similar companies in the world; 50% of its energy is obtained from renewable sources. This was stated by Andrey Grachev, speaking at the session “Save the Planet. The role of the Far East".

The event was attended by the special representative of the President of the Russian Federation on environmental issues, ecology and transport Sergei Ivanov, Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Ecology of Russia Sergei Anoprienko, heads of the Far Eastern regions, representatives of energy companies, ecologists and experts. Issues of economic development of the region, attracting “green” and environmentally friendly investments, and combining the efforts of business and the state in solving this problem were discussed.

“Sometimes people argue what is more important: ecology, industry or social policy? For us, these entities are equal - they are interconnected. Ecology has become an integral part of our activities. Indeed, how to separate the filters on the pipe from the production process? It is obvious that it is necessary to respect the environment, develop production, and raise the level of social policy standards,” Andrey Grachev emphasized.

The company's flagship project is the Sulfur Program, said the vice president of Norilsk Nickel. “Its goal is to reduce sulfur dioxide emissions by more than 40% by the end of next year. The budget of this project is more than 300 billion rubles.”

To eliminate sites of accumulated environmental damage, the company has developed and is implementing a 10-year program with a budget of 40 billion rubles called “Clean Norilsk,” Andrey Grachev said. “We purchased equipment, created special units and with their help have already dismantled 300 abandoned buildings and cleared more than 2 million square meters in the Arctic. This is a territory equal in area to the Principality of Monaco.”

In addition, we produce “green” metals - palladium for catalysts, cobalt for batteries used in electric vehicles, and together with Rosatom we will produce lithium for batteries, Andrey Grachev said. “The Kolmozersky lithium deposit project, which is also called “white oil,” is being implemented. Thus, we will eliminate lithium dependence on foreign supplies.”