WILL THE SELENGE DAMS DAMAGE LAKE BAIKAL?

"A mutual decision was made according to the results of the intergovernmental commission meeting [in December 2016 - TASS] that we will exchange information in the first instance," the diplomat said. "Mongolia has received the conclusions of a specialist French company that also built HPP in Russia, regarding our two projects. According to their conclusion, the construction of the HPP will not actually exert negative influence on the environment. Moreover, Russia has its own conclusions and  studies," the ambassador said.

"It was decided to set up a joint research team with scientists and experts of both sides," Ambassador Delgermaa said. "We suggested holding the meeting with the participation of Russian and Mongolian experts in March but the Russian group proposed postponing such a meeting until June," she said.

Lake Baikal is unique, the ambassador said. "This is not merely a Russian treasure but one belonging to the whole world. Therefore we will undertake measures to prevent environmental problems and will jointly settle any issues arising arising" the diplomat added.

Russian environmental and scientific circles have repeatedly expressed their concerns about Mongolia’s plans to build three dams on rivers that feed Lake Baikal, the world’s largest and deepest freshwater lake and a UNESCO World Heritage site. Under the plan, three dams are to be built: one on the River Selenge, that accounts for some 80% of all water that flows into the lake, and two at its main tributaries - the Eg and the Orkhon.

The announcement coincided with the unprecedented decline in the Baikal water level that started in the autumn of 2014 and continued through 2016. (Tass.ru)

Source:http://www.news.mn/r/327399