russia Has Allowed Clear-Cutting of Forests Around Lake Baikal

russia has passed a controversial law that effectively allows clear-cutting of forests in the nature reserve around Lake Baikal, one of the world’s most valuable ecosystems. The document will come into force on March 1, 2026. It is officially and cynically presented as a “law on the protection of Lake Baikal”. However, environmentalists and scientists say outright that under the guise of caring for the region, large-scale commercial logging is being launched, opening up huge economic opportunities for businesses, first of all related to China.

Previously, strict restrictions were in place on Lake Baikal, which for decades protected forest areas from industrial exploitation. Now, under the pretext of “sanitary logging” and “infrastructure development”, virtually total clearing of the territories with the right to sell the timber is permitted. This creates ideal conditions for corruption schemes, legalization of illegal logging, and encourages setting forests on fire in order to have them declared “damaged”.

Most of the timber and resources in the Baikal region are traditionally exported to China, a country that has long been interested in russian forests as a cheap source of raw materials. China has already benefited from russian forestry policy in the past, and the new law further simplifies access to unique natural resources under the guise of “environmental necessity”.

Environmentalists emphasize that the decision is being made in the interests of business, not nature. The law creates direct risks for the Baikal ecosystem and turns the protected area into a source of super-fast profits. moscow is once again demonstrating its willingness to sacrifice nature of global importance for short-term economic gains.