The Carbon Dinosaur in Lithuania

Dates in Lithuania
>>	14 July 04 City of Vilnius Russian oil company LUKoil and UAB "Minijos nafta" (Ltd Minija oil) were awarded with Carbon Killer Oscars in Lithuania, for their oil extraction activities, threatening sensitive ecosystems and local communities. Right: Lithuanian Environment Minister Arunas Kundrotas chaining down the dinosaur.
>>	15 July 04 City of Neringa Dinosaur protesting against the D6 oil field exploitation that threatens the UNESCO world heritage site of the Neringa peninsula.
To find out more about the Carbon Dinosaur in Lithuania and when and where to meet it, please refer to the contact details on the right.

LITHUANIAN | During the Soviet period in Lithuania energy sector and energy-intensive industries were heavily developed, leading to enormous greenhouse gas emissions. Around 47 million tons of carbon dioxide and 350 thousands of methane were discharged in 1990, mostly coming from the transport, energy and industry sectors.

During the last decade industrial production in Lithuania has slowed down, resulting in a significant drop in greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuels. In the year 2000 only 16 million tons of carbon dioxide and 230 thousand tons of methane were discharged into the atmosphere. The energy sector is remains the biggest contributor to climate change, follwoed by transport, households and industry.

Forecasts for Lithuania's economic development predict an increase in energy demand and consequently in emissions over the next years. The development of renewable energy sources is not a priority in Lithuania; increased demand will be covered by a number of inefficient oil and gas based power plants.

Another climate related problem for Lithuania is extraction and transportation of oil in the Baltic Sea region. Friends of the Earth Lithuania calls for restricting oil projects particularly near sensitive ecosystems. However, the Russian oil company LUKoil has recently begun to extract oil from the D-6 field, 22 km off the coast, 0.5 km downstream to the Lithuanian border. Estimated reserves of the oil field are 24 million tonnes, and exploitation is planned to last for 25-30 years, with annual an production of about 600-700 thousand tones.

The Baltic Sea is one of most polluted seas in the world. About 40 oil terminals ship an annual around 180 million tons of crude oil. Every year, the Baltic Sea is struck by around 1000 ship accidents, every fifth of them with an oil spill, leading to about 2800 cubic metres of leaked crude oil -- and it is only a question of time until a major oil accident happens.

Consequently, the Carbon Dinosaur has visited the Lithuanian Capital Vilnius to raise public awareness on the oil extraction and its direct dangers for the environment but also its indirect contribution to foster climate change. Also, the dinosaur has visited Nida/Neringa, an UNESCO heritage site and its sandy beaches, only a few kilometres downstream from the D-6 oil field.

Sovietmeciu Lietuvoje buvo išvystytos energijai imlios pramones šakos bei energetikos sektorius todel gaminant elektros energija buvo deginama daug organinio kuro bei išmetama daug šiltnamio efekta sukelianciu teršalu. Baziniais 1990 metais i aplinka išsiskyre apie 47 milijonai tonu anglies dvideginio ir apie 350 tukstanciu tonu metano. Tuomet pagrindiniai šiltnamio efekta sukelianciu duju išmetimo šaltiniai buvo energetika, pramone ir transportas.

Per pastaraji dešimtmeti, del ekonomikos nuosmukio sumažejo gamybos apimtys todel gerokai sumažejo kuro suvartojimas ir šiltnamio duju išmetimai. Be to organinio kuro suvartojimas sumažejo pradejus pilnu pajegumu eksploatuoti Ignalinos AE, o termofikacines elektrines pervedus i rezervini režima. Anglies dvideginio išmetimai 2000 metais sieke tik 16 milijonu tonu, o metano - apie 230 tukstanciu tonu. Taciau ir šiuo metu pagrindiniu šiltnamio duju šaltiniu išlieka energetika, antroje vietoje -transportas, trecioje - namu ukis, o pramones indelis lieka mažesnis.

Pagal ekonomines pletros prognozes ateityje pramone turetu vystytis sparciau, kas sukeltu energijos poreikiu didejima. Taip pat Lietuva iki 2010 metu turi uždaryti Ignalinos atomine elektrine. Kadangi atsinaujinantys energijos šaltiniai Lietuvoje nera valstybines reikšmes prioritetas, uždarius Ignalinos AE didžioji dalis elektros energijos poreikio bus gaminama termofikacinese elektrinese, deginant mazuta arba gamtines dujas, kas sukels šiltnamio duju išmetimu didejima.

Kita su klimato kaita susijusi problema yra naftos gavyba ir transportavimas Baltijos juroje. Bendrija "Atgaja" ir kitos aplinkosaugines nevyriausybines organizacijos ragina riboti organinio kuro gavyba ir pervežima Baltijos regione, tuo mažinant šiltnamio efekto sukeliama poveiki aplinkai. Taciau Rusijos naftos kompanijos LUKoil dukterine imone "LUKoil Kaliningradmorneft" pradejo eksploatuoti naftos telkini D-6 Baltijos juroje. Telkinys D-6 yra Kaliningrado srities teritorijoje 22 km nuo kranto, 0,5 km pasroviui link Lietuvos sienos. D-6 telkinio atsargos siekia 24 milijonus tonu naftos, numatoma telkini eksploatuoti 25-30 metu, išgaunant 600-700 tukstancius tonu naftos kasmet.

Kad atkreipti valstybiniu instituciju, žiniasklaidos ir visuomenes demesi i naftos gavybos Baltijos juroje problema, kuri padarys nemaža poveiki klimato kaitai, bendrija "Atgaja" planuoja surengti "Carbon Dinosaur" akcija Vilniuje ir Nidoje.

Baltijos jura - viena iš labiausiai užterštu juru pasaulyje, joje yra apie 40 naftos terminalu (du iš ju Lietuvoje), juose per metus perkraunama virš 180 milijonu tonu naftos. Kasmet Baltijoje ivyksta apie 1000 laivu avariju, kas penktoje avarijoje išsilieja nafta, 2000 - 2001 metu laikotarpiu išsiliejo 2800 m3 naftos.

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