Led by Vitaly Markelov, Deputy Chairman of the Gazprom Management Committee and Head of the Coordinating Committee a meeting of the Gazprom Coordinating Committee for Environmental Protection and Energy Efficiency took place today at the Gazprom headquarters. Taking part in the meeting were Members of the Gazprom Management Committee and heads of the Company's structural units and subsidiary companies.

The participants of the meeting examined and lauded the work of the Gazprom Environmental Inspection. It was noted that the effective cooperation between the Gazprom Environmental Inspection and the subsidiaries' environmental services secured timely handling of detected violations and their recurrence prevention.

The forecast of the Eastern Gas Program environmental impact was presented at the meeting.

The target (main) scenario of the Eastern Gas Program implementation provides that the regional consumption balance of boiler and furnace fuels in Eastern Siberia and the Far East will increase to 30 per cent (today it is under 7 per cent) with the overall increase in fuel consumption by 45.5 per cent.

As a result, the pollutants emissions will be significantly reduced, considerably improving the environmental situation in the regions, especially in big cities. In particular, the volume of hazardous emissions may decrease: nitrogen oxides – to 19 per cent, sulfur dioxide – to 28 per cent, carbon oxide – to 20 per cent, ash and soot – to 50 per cent.

An additional environmental effect can be achieved through conversion of motor vehicles to natural gas.

Background

The Gazprom Coordinating Committee for Environmental Protection and Energy Efficiency was established in October 2007 in order to secure an integrated approach and coordinate the environmental activities of the Company's structural units and subsidiaries.

The Committee's major goals are as follows:

• comprehensively evaluating the effectiveness of Gazprom Group's environmental activities;
• introducing comprehensive environmental, energy saving and energy efficiency management;
• coordinating Gazprom's interaction with environmental authorities and public entities.

Gazprom Environmental Inspection was set up in 2007 to ensure corporate control for compliance with the requirements of environmental legislation at all the construction and operation facilities of the Unified Gas Supply System.

The state-run Development Program for an integrated gas production, transportation and supply system in Eastern Siberia and the Far East, taking into account potential gas exports to China and other Asia-Pacific countries (Eastern Gas Program) was adopted in September 2007 pursuant to the Russian Industry and Energy Ministry Order. Gazprom was appointed by the Russian Federation Government as the Program execution coordinator.