Russia spills 1.5m tonnes of oil each year, more than double the amount released in the 2010 Deepwater Horizon spill in the Gulf of Mexico. The Russian government has said it will not allow any new drilling off its coast until a permanent solution is found. Rivers from the region also carry 500,000 tonnes of oil into the Arctic Ocean each year. Greenpeace claims deterioration in 60% of the pipeline infrastructure is responsible for the spills. Lax oversight and low fines also mean that companies lack an incentive to invest in new pipes or carry out effective clean-ups.
Russia spills 1.5m tonnes of oil each year, more than double the amount released in the 2010 Deepwater Horizon spill in the Gulf of Mexico. The spills are causing water pollution and threatening fish stocks and pasture land in the Komi Republic in the north of the country. Rivers from the region also carry 500,000 tonnes of oil into the Arctic Ocean each year. Greenpeace claims deterioration in 60% of the pipeline infrastructure is responsible for the spills. Lax oversight and low fines also mean that companies lack an incentive to invest in new pipes or carry out effective clean-ups.