Supporting environmental initiatives by Russian commercial banks within the framework of implementing the principles of environmental, social and corporate responsibility
E.V. Karanina, V.N. Pugach, A.V. Kotandzhyan
Section: Ecology and climate change
This article analyzes the implementation of environmental, social, and corporate responsibility (ESG) principles in the activities of the country’s commercial banks, and examines examples and indicators of the country’s largest banks regarding the implementation of “green” economy principles through the prism of ESG banking development. The aim of this article is to identify and analyze the main problems of implementing an ESG strategy in the Russian banking sector, as well as the possibility of assessing the level of ESG principles penetration in the commercial banks activities in the context of maintaining modern environmental approaches to organizing financial and economic activities. Reports on the sustainable development of Russian large commercial banks, as well as scientific and analytical publications on the implementation of the “green” economy principles were used as an information base for the analysis. Recently, the implementation of sustainable development goals agenda has become increasingly relevant. This creates challenges for the corporate sector. International companies are actively implementing ESG principles in their operations and recognize the importance of ESG risk management. Russian ESG agenda attracted public attention after the announcement of the EU cross-border carbon regulation project. In 2021, there was an active development of ESG practices and responsible financing instruments in Russia. In May 2020 the European Central Bank and the Central Bank of Russia announced a new position and plans for regulating and supervising the ESG risks in the financial activities process. Thus, the “Green” Economy Regulatory Group (GERG) was created. Supervisory authorities regulate the GERG’s activities. The GERG issued a guide on sustainable and responsible investment, as well as banking portfolios management. At the same time, it is important to find an optimal balance between the areas of the country’s financial and environmental policies, which would promote the implementation of the interests in the noted areas without compromising one of them. There is a need to monitor the results of ESG-principles implementation, to unify the model for assessing indicators, as well as to determining the role of the state and the banking sector in a “green” economy development.
Keywords: environmental, social and corporate responsibility (ESG), ESG principles, ESG banking, ESG strategy, environmental principles, sustainable development of the banking sector, “green” economy
Article published in number 1 for 2026 DOI: 10.25750/1995-4301-2026-1-227-236
Views: 1
Nostoc commune biofilms as a phenomenon of perennial natural vegetation in a technogenic environment
Structural features of natural Nostoc commune biofilms growing in the same technogenic ecotope for 20 years were analyzed. These biofilms are multicomponent communities, including phototrophic and saprotrophic microorganisms of various taxonomic groups. The structure of such biofilms is characterized by an extremely high population density, reaching −109 cells/1 g of dry mass. Nostoc commune is the dominant edifier of such terrestrial consortia. It has the ability to long-term coexistence with representatives of other phototrophic and heterotrophic microorganisms, both prokaryotic and eukaryotic. However, the species and quantitative composition of these biofilms changes affected by natural and technogenic factors. Nevertheless, the biofilm mesh-filament structure resembling pseudo-fabric retains. Probably, a natural in-soil pool of microorganisms is the basis for the N. commune biofilms forming. Spherical colonies of pure N. commune culture are the initial ones that subsequently combine other soil microbes. The N. commune has high affinity for its partners in biofilm. We confirmed in while determining the species, quantitative and structural features of biofilms collected in 2005 and 2025. Biofilms living and growing in a technogenic ecotope are resistant to possible contamination due to the multifunctional abilities of the partners, such as photosynthesis of cyanobacteria and algae, nitrogen-fixing ability of heterocyst-forming cyanobacteria and heterotrophic nitrogen fixers, destructive activity of ammonificators, micromycetes and actinomycetes. The above may be updated by the biofilm mechanical stability associated with the development of filamentous cyanobacteria, micromycetes (the total length of which can reach 1 km/g), and active mucus secretion, primarily by N. commune itself and other representatives. The data obtained indicate that N. commune biofilms function for a long period as a holistic “city of microbes”, and all its inhabitants adapt in coordinated manner to changing environment. Understanding this unique phenomenon of self-regulation opens up prospects for solving theoretical and applied problems in microbiology and ecology.
Keywords: Nostoc commune, natural biofilms, phototrophic and heterotrophic microorganisms, biofilm species and quantitative composition
Article published in number 1 for 2026 DOI: 10.25750/1995-4301-2026-1-209-216
Views: 1
Assessment of antioxidant ginsenosides content in white ginseng extracts
Section: Chemistry of natural environments and objects
Ginsenosides/panaxosides are glycosides of triterpenoids, active components of Panax plants. They have anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antidiabetic, and antitumor effects. The chemical profile of ginsenosides in supercritical carbonic acid (SC-CO2), aqueous alcohol (70 %), and acetic acid (5 %) extracts of white ginseng cultivated in China was studied using HPLC-MS/MS. The mass fraction of ginsenosides in white ginseng CO2-extract is higher than in aqueous alcohol and acetic acid extracts, respectively 3.5 %, 2.1 % and 1.1 % dry matter. 23 compounds were identified, including the main polar ginsenosides – Rb1, Rb2, Rc, Rd (PPD-type) and Re, Rf, Rg1 (PPT-type), as well as minor nonpolar ones – F2, Rg3, Rh2 (PPD-type) and Rg2, Rh1 (PPT-type). The instability of oleanane saponins (Ro) upon heating is explained by their absence in the studied extracts and the appearance of zingibroside R1 (Ro adduct) in the aqueous alcohol extract. Minor nonpolar ginsenosides and adducts accounted for the majority of acetic acid and SC-CO2 extracts; the aqueous alcohol extract contained approximately equal amounts of major and minor ginsenosides. The highest content of adducts with antioxidant effect – ginsenosides Rg3, Rh1, Rh2, Rk1, СK, Rg1, Rb1, Rb2, Re – was noted in SC-CO2 extract (67.7 %), the lowest – in alcohol extract (29.7 %). A product with the desired metabolic profile can be obtained by varying the extraction conditions.
Section: Monitoring of natural and anthropogenically disturbed areas
Studies of the fauna of the watershed glacial lakes in the central part of the Bolshezemelskaya tundra have been carried out. A comparative analysis of the zooplankton, zoobenthos and fish diversity and structure from the More-Yu and the Adzva river basins is given. The More-Yu River flows directly into the Barents Sea, and the Adzva River is the Pechora River tributary of the second order. 78 taxa of planktonic organisms were identified, including 61 species, one subspecies, and 16 taxa designated to the rank above the species. The zoobenthos in the lakes of the More-Yu River basin includes 28 groups of invertebrates, and 20 groups in the watershed of the Adzva River. The composition of the fauna of zooplankton and benthic invertebrates has significant similarities in the watershed of the Adzva and More-Yu rivers, which is due to the common physical and geographical conditions. Compared to fish, invertebrates have certain strategic opportunities to overcome intracontinental geographical barriers. Fish are unable to spread across watersheds from one aquatic system to another, having fundamentally different mechanisms of fauna formation than invertebrates. The fish population of the studied watershed lakes includes 15 species, 10 of which are in the More-Yu River basin, and all 15 78 Теорeтическая и прикладная экология. 2026. № 1 / Theoretical and Applied Ecology. 2026. No. 1 species are in the Adzva River catchment area. There are no boreal lowland fish species in the More-Yu River basin, in particular Leuciscus idus, Rutilus rutilus, and Perca fluviatilis. It is suggested that the revealed absence of the above is not so much due to climatic conditions as to the history of glaciations and the presence of watershed barriers between the More-Yu River basin and the tundra tributaries of the Usa River.
Keywords: aquatic fauna, zooplankton, zoobenthos, fish population, lakes, Bolshezemelskaya tundra, the history of glaciations
Article published in number 1 for 2026 DOI: 10.25750/1995-4301-2026-1-077-087
Views: 1
Calcium nitrate anhydrous and ammonium sulfate crystalline obtaining from phosphate fertilizers wastes
A.V. Shilyaev, I.D. Troshkina
Section: Ecologization of industry
Extractive phosphoric acid and phosphoric mineral fertilizers processing forms wastes, phosphogypsum is the main. Phosphogypsum is not widely used due to its low radioactivity. Most of it is accumulated in dumps for long-term storage. Phosphogypsum can be considered as a potential source of calcium, sulfur, phosphorus and rare earths (REs) of the cerium group. The aim of the work is to develop a technology for obtaining calcium nitrate Ca(NO3)2 anhydrous, ammonium sulfate (NH4)2SO4 crystalline and REs’ concentrate from phosphogypsum. We develop a basic process flow diagram that allows separating REs’ concentrate from calcium and sulfur compounds. (NH4)2SO4 is a product of the reaction between phosphogypsum and an excess of ammonium carbonate solution. The resulting phosphochalk is separated from the (NH4)2SO4 solution by filtration. The (NH4)2SO4 solution is neutralized with sulfuric acid to pH 4–6, evaporated, and (NH4)2SO4 crystallized. Phosphochalk is dissolved in excess nitric acid. The resulting acidic Ca(NO3)2 solution is cooled to -10 °C to separate the Ca(NO3)2·4H2O crystals. After the above separating the REs’ concentrate is precipitated with ammonia. After washing with nitric acid at -10 °C, the crystals are dissolved and neutralized with CaCO3 to pH 4. The resulting chalk pulp is filtered, separating Ca(NO3)2 solution from insoluble impurities of calcium phosphate and fluoride. The purified Ca(NO3)2 solution is evaporated and granulated to obtain Ca(NO3)2 anhydrous.
Micronutrient Se is characterized by extremely low physiological requirements and a narrow threshold between deficiency and toxicity. Selenium deficiency leads to poor health and shortened lifespan. Soil is the primary source of Se for plants, and this element is then passed along the food chain. Most agricultural soils are characterized by a significant Se deficiency. Enriching soils with this micronutrient not only increases Se-content in agricultural products but also enhances the productivity of agrocenoses, reduces pathogen load on plants, and improves their stress resistance. Se-containing fertilizers can be used to enrich soils. Fertilizers containing Se in organic form or bioform are considered the safest, however, the production of such fertilizers is relatively expensive. Sodium selenate is most often used as a source of Se for plants. High toxicity is its disadvantage limiting its use in agriculture. Commercial forms of combined fertilizers enriched with Se are considered safer. The production and marketing of affordable and effective Se fertilizers is of great social importance. However, the technological aspects of their production have not been adequately addressed in scientific publications. Questions regarding optimal Se application rates to soils have not yet received an acceptable answer. Various publications report positive effects with Se applications ranging from 4 to 200 g/ha for the same crop. Assessing the environmental risks of large-scale Se-fertilizer use is controversial. However, there is evidence that due to volatile compounds formed, Se does not accumulate in soils and virtually does not migrate into groundwater.
Article published in number 1 for 2026 DOI: 10.25750/1995-4301-2026-1-006-018
Views: 34
Geochemistry of the Zilair basin groundwater in the Ural hydrogeological folded region (Southern Urals)
T.D. Shabutdinov, R.F. Abdrakhmanov, A.O. Poleva, V.N. Durnaeva
Section: Chemistry of natural environments and objects
Fresh groundwater resources in the Republic of Bashkortostan are distributed extremely unevenly. Its eastern regions are particularly water-deficient. An assessment of the geochemistry of fractured groundwater in the Zilair Basin (the Ural hydrogeological folded region, the Southern Urals), helps to identify additional sources of fresh groundwater to meet the needs of the republic’s population. All groundwater in this area is fresh. Their salinity ranges from 0.04 to 0.9 g/dm3. Their total hardness ranges from 0.2 to 3.39 mmol/dm3. Groundwater of the magnesium-bicarbonate and magnesium-calcium-bicarbonate types, associated with ultramafic and mafic rocks, is extremely rare in the Southern Urals. Due to their low mineralization (up to 1 g/dm3) and high magnesium content, which is essential for the normal functioning of the human body, they can be used as table mineral waters.
Keywords: Zilair synclinorium, fresh groundwater resources, ultramafic rocks of the Kraka massifs, magnesium-bicarbonate waters
Article published in number 1 for 2026 DOI: 10.25750/1995-4301-2026-1-096-104
Views: 10
Monitoring of the Littorella uniflora population and its habitat in Lake Svityaz (Republic of Belarus)
We assessed the status of Littorella uniflora (L.) Aschers. population and its habitat based on long-term studies (2000–2023). It is an extremely rare, endangered, protected species for Belarus. Lake Svityaz is the only known location of L. uniflora habitat in Belarus. The species cenotic role in the community, its dynamics depending on biotopic, ecotopic and anthropogenic factors were revealed. The boundaries of the species distribution within the lake were determined. We assessed the changes in lake overgrowth and physicochemical indicators of the water over the long-term observation period. Major threats have been identified and measures to restore the L. uniflora habitat are proposed. Signs of progressive eutrophication are detected: decreased nitrogen compounds and the absence of phosphates in the surface water layer due to the phytoplankton active development; hydrosulphuric zone in the hypolimnion; a decrease in the dissolved oxygen content and transparency of water to 2–3 m; water “blooming”; an increase in the reed beds’ density and extent (up to 52 % of the coastline); rapid degradation of the hydrophytic vegetation belt (the depth of maximum growth of submerged plants decreased from 7.0 to 2.5 m over a 40-year period). Analysis of the higher aquatic vegetation species composition showed its reduction from 14 to 8 species due to the loss of a number of submerged plant species. The above indicates a structural restructuring of plant communities towards helophytic vegetation and deterioration in water quality. Littorella uniflora dominates in underwater communities, but its abundance is declining. Excessive recreational load and changes in hydrological regime degrade the Lake Svityaz and the L. uniflora population. We proposed some measures to regulate recreational load, improve the sanitary condition of the coast and a number of internal measures. The recommendations are aimed to stabilize the lake ecological status, to conserve the sustainability of its ecosystem and to protect the L. uniflora unique population.
Article published in number 1 for 2026 DOI: 10.25750/1995-4301-2026-1-217-226
Views: 9
Study of the possibility of using composite sorbents to purify water from oil products at low temperatures
E.A. Tatarintseva, L.N. Olshanskaya
Section: Ecologization of industry
The development of oil fields in the Arctic is associated with high risks of environmental pollution. Increased hydrocarbon production is accompanied by concerns regarding the level of preparedness for potential emergency situations associated with oil spills. The infrastructure in most areas of the Far North does not meet the requirements for the prompt elimination of large-scale environmental pollution arising from oil production activities. The aim of this study was to study the feasibility of using composite sorption materials made from industrial waste to purify water from oil spills at temperatures ranging from –5 to +20 оC. We studied the physicomechanical properties as the important characteristics of sorbents. Specific surface area of the studied sorbents ranges from 20 to 35 m2/g, density is < 1 cm3/g, porosity is approximately 80–90 %, and mechanical strength is high. The proposed sorbents were shown to possess hydrophobic properties, as evidenced by a high contact angle (130о–140о) and good buoyancy for 96 hours. The oil sorption time with a purification efficiency exceeding 99.0 % is 20 minutes. The oil absorption capacity of the obtained materials for oil recovery at low temperatures (–5 оC) ranges from 3 to 22 g/g. A sorbent with magnetic properties was obtained due to the content of ferritized galvanic sludge, significantly simplifying the process of its collection from the water surface. The obtained sorption materials solve the problem of water purification from oil as well as the problem of producing low-cost sorbents from industrial waste such as polyethylene terephthalate, galvanic sludge, and sawdust.
Article published in number 1 for 2026 DOI: 10.25750/1995-4301-2026-1-145-153
Views: 22
An innovative approach to the composite coatings creation using industrial waste resources
S.L. Fuchs, K.O. Kamalov
Section: Ecologization of industry
Environmental hazard of machinery production and aircraft industry can be reduced by reutilization of electrolytes for deposition of composite electrochemical coatings with enhanced physical properties. Specifically, composites consisting of the nickel matrix and dispersed phase can be obtained. The dispersed phase consists of micro- and nanoparticles which improves coating appearance and enhances performance parameters. Fly ash is formed during the combustion of solid fuel in the Thermal Power Plant (TPP). It is promising as dispersed phase because is consists of spherical particles of various diameters. The fly ash activation in the disposal solution of chemical-nickel plating causes an increase in particle size and weight due to the reduction of nickel over the particle surface and in agglomerates. The TPP-5 (Kirov, Russian Federation) fly ash is used in this study to obtain “nickel–activated fly ash” composite electrochemical coatings (CEC). The introduction of the fly ash coated with chemically-deposited nickel into the matrix obtained by electrochemical platting of nickel is shown to form the CEC with improved wear resistance due to the reduction of internal stresses and the absence of delamination. Dispersed particles embedded into the nickel matrix change its morphology and mechanical characteristics of the coating without changing the appearance. The obtained results demonstrate that the most promising combination for obtaining CEC is the following: the disposal nickel-plating electrolyte containing nickel-coated magnetic fraction of the fly ash with the particle size below 125 µm. The application of the disposal nickel-plating electrolyte solution with a low nickel concentration for fly ash activation makes liquid waste processing easier and cheaper.
ISSN 1995-4301
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