Green approach to BAM reconstruction
Baikal will remain clean
The BAM is being reconstructed under stringent environmental monitoring and in compliance with all environmental regulations.
Baikal protected by Russian Railways
As ordered by the Russian President Vladimir Putin, Russian Railways signed Plans of Joint Environmental Efforts in construction and reconstruction of infrastructure facilities necessary to increase the capacity of the BAM and Trans‑Siberian Mainline through 2024.
The documents provided for 54 initiatives in the Irkutsk Region, 59 in the Republic of Buryatia, and 48 according to the plan jointly with the Russian Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment.
Delivered in full
Russian Railways delivered in full on all the environmental initiatives planned for 2020– 2024 in the Central Zone of Lake Baikal’s natural territory in the Irkutsk Region and the Republic of Buryatia.
Baikal will remain clean
In 2025, Russian Railways and the Russian Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment approved a new environmental action plan for Lake Baikal’s natural territory for 2025–2032. The plan provides for 56 initiatives across seven workstreams, with 19 of them to be annual.
The workstreams include: cooperation with executive authorities, public and research entities, raising environmental awareness, monitoring, waste management, protection of air, water resources, flora and fauna, and ensuring fire safety.
What we do:
One of the key achievements is the creation of an ongoing environmental monitoring system at the BAM construction and reconstruction facilities in the Central Zone of Lake Baikal’s natural territory. We monitor the condition of soil, water, and air.
The BAM has two stationary laboratories, one stationary automated control station (in Nizhneangarsk) and three motor‑vehicle environmental laboratories. The research shows that there is no pollutants in excess of maximum permissible concentrations.
Industrial environmental laboratory of the Eastern Siberian Railway’s Environmental Protection Centre:
We monitor the condition of soil, water, and air. For example, to monitor air at the BAM construction and reconstruction facilities, in 2021 we bought a mobile automated control station using truck chassis. It is equipped with gas analysers, a dust meter and a meteorological station, which enable us to assess weather conditions, concentration of pollutants in the air, and a number of other characteristics. The information is fed to Russian Railways’ server in the real‑time mode and used in the industrial environmental monitoring system.
A landmark event for us was granting the status of a specially protected area to the Talovskoye lake and wetland ecosystem, a regional natural monument. Russian Railways extended financial support to the research done in 2023, and in 2024 the ecosystem received the status of a specially protected area.
Environmental Volunteers Association:
The Talovskoye lake and wetland ecosystem is renowned for its biological diversity, with 25 species of birds listed in the Red Books of Russia and the Irkutsk Region living there. It is also a spot for migrant birds, as it has perfect conditions for their rest and feeding.
In 2024, while logging 6.9 ha, we planted 41.5 ha of forest ranges (91,345 trees), achieving a 6:1 ratio of planting area to logging. As part of additional environmental actions, we planted 32,075 tree seedlings in forests of Lake Baikal’s natural territory.
Water is treated to eliminate suspended solids, surface active agents, oil products, and iron sulphates to established limits.
They are used in laying tracks within water conservation zones to make sure wastewater and storm water do not permeate soil without prior treatment.
For example, while constructing and reconstructing facilities, we install noise protection screens to reduce the acoustic impact from railway transport in compliance with sanitary and epidemiological requirements.