Human Environment Interaction in Russia and the Republics Economic Growth with Environmental Damage

Government Policies of the Soviet Union Under the command economy, the Soviet government controlled all aspects of the economy. They controlled the land for farming, mining for resources and factory production. After WWII, the Soviet Union enters into the Cold War with the U.S. The Soviet Union began to: 1) Build up their military 2) rapidly industrialize for self-sufficiency

Government Policies of the Soviet Union Under Joseph Stalin, rapid industrialization became important Farms, factories and power plants were built very quickly with little regard for the environment

TOPIC ISSUE CAUSES EFFECTS Volga River Aral Sea Chernobyl

1) The Volga

The Volga

Pollution of the Volga River During rapid industrialization, many factories were built along the Volga Some pollution is trash but most is from chemical factories The water is harmful to drink, harmful to the fish and causes sickness

Volga River This is the Volga River. This is the Caspian Sea, notice the brown sludge the Volga is dumping in it. Volga River This is the Volga River Delta.

Pollution of the Volga River Damming for industrial purposes causes flooding

Pollution of the Volga River Pollution from an oil spill

Pollution of the Volga River Clean-up efforts are underway

2) The Aral Sea Watch Aral Sea Video

The Aral Sea Issue: Cause(s): Effect(s):

Government Policies of the Soviet Union In the 1950’s, the government began diverting water from the Amu Dayra and Syr Dayra Rivers (which feed into the Aral Sea) to irrigate cotton fields. Cotton, “white gold,” was supposed to save them

The Shrinking Aral Sea So the sea began to shrink.

The Shrinking Aral Sea

The Shrinking Aral Sea Original border Original Borders

The Shrinking Aral Sea Dust storms make the environment even more harsh

Shrinking Aral Sea Desertification (expansion of deserts to the outer moist regions) of the Aral Sea region led to this…

Shrinking Aral Sea

Shrinking Aral Sea ocho.uwaterloo.ca

Shrinking Aral Sea

Shrinking Aral Sea

3) Chernobyl Power Plant Issue: Cause(s): Effect(s): Watch Chernobyl Video

Government Policies of the Soviet Union Soviet policies also affected the production of energy To industrialize quickly and build up the military, nuclear power plants like Chernobyl were built. BUT… there were problems.

Chernobyl Explosion 1986 Chernobyl, located in Ukraine, exploded The cause was human error People and the environment suffered because of radiation

Chernobyl Explosion

Chernobyl Explosion

Chernobyl Explosion Inside the plant

Chernobyl Explosion Chernobyl with its concrete sarcophagus

Chernobyl Effects http://farm1. static. flickr

Chernobyl Effects

Chernobyl Effects

Chernobyl Effects

Chernobyl Effects

Chernobyl Effects

Chernobyl Effects

Chernobyl Effects

Questions on Government Policies of the Soviet Union Why did the Soviet Union dam the rivers that fed the Aral Sea and what effect did it have on the environment? Why did rapid industrialization (the quick building of power plants) lead to the Chernobyl disaster? What actions could the Soviet government have taken to protect the environment and people of the region?