June 25 – Gennady Schukin has returned to his flat in the city of Dudinka, above the Arctic circle, from a 600 kilometre trip to round up his reindeer. At this time of year in this remote north-central part of Russia, hunting and fishing are key to Schukin’s community income. Schukin is an indigenous leader and a representative of the 11,000 Dolgan people who live on the Taymyr peninsula. Schukin told Climate Home News a mega oil development under way in the region threatens this way of life.

Rosneft is developing a massive oil project on the Taymyr peninsula with 15 towns, a port, two airports and 800km of pipeline. Rosneft says the Vostok Oil project will tap into an estimated six billion tonnes of oil reserves across two oilfields, producing 30 million tonnes of oil in 2024 and reaching 100 million tonnes annually by 2030.

The plans include the construction of 15 towns for 400,000 oil workers, a port, two airports, 800 kilometres of pipeline and 3,500 kilometres of electrical line. This network of pipelines, roads and electrical lines will criss-cross the Arctic tundra, a treeless expanse across which reindeers travel hundreds of kilometres. Climate Change News / Read more