On March 1, 2026, amendments to the law “On the Protection of Lake Baikal” came into force. They allow clear-cutting of dead forest stands in the central ecological zone of the Baikal natural territory and permit some forest lands to be reclassified for infrastructure. Decisions are to be made by a departmental commission based on a scientific opinion.
Critics of the law argue that the formal restrictions will not make approvals difficult, creating risks of uncontrolled logging, ecosystem imbalance, forest fragmentation, and timber removal, even though the law’s concept says the wood should remain at the logging site. The RAS Scientific Council on Forests opposed the amendments, citing the lack of scientific criteria for assessing the loss of forest functions and warning that the law undervalues forests’ role in water runoff, climate regulation, and biodiversity.
Supporters of the amendments, including governors Igor Kobzev and Aleksandr Tsydenov, said the previous rules hindered the construction of roads, piers, bridges, and power lines, as well as tourism development. In Irkutsk Region and Buryatia, hotel, resort, and housing projects worth billions of rubles have already been announced, including on the former Baikal Pulp and Paper Mill site, where land cleanup has not yet been completed.
Environmental experts warn that this expansion is happening without a full monitoring system and amid a shortage of wastewater treatment facilities. According to protected-areas specialist Mikhail Kreindlin, if Russia does not submit UNESCO a comprehensive territorial development plan with an environmental impact assessment, Baikal could be classified as a World Heritage site in danger in 2027.
“No treatment facilities means no tourism; if there are treatment facilities, tourism must remain within their capacity,” scientists say in summarizing the principle they believe should govern Baikal’s development.
Political activist Sana Bezmenova, who took part in the 2006 campaign against an oil pipeline near Baikal, told Novaya Gazeta Europe that discontent among local residents remains, but few are prepared to speak publicly, and trust in official statements has been lost over the years.