Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev has signed a list of instructions following the January 9, 2013 meeting On the Main Environmental Protection Tasks and Measures in 2013.

Here is the text of the document:

- The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment is to step up work to draft and adopt regulatory documents designed to improve the effectiveness of nature conservation activities, to consistently improve the state of the environment in the Russian Federation, including efforts to join international conventions in the area of environmental protection, the development of the system of specially protected natural areas, the regulation of production and consumption waste disposal, treatment and management, the conducting of state expert examinations of the most dangerous facilities and the introduction of the best available technologies.

The Ministry is to report specific results to the Government on a quarterly basis.

- The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, the Ministry of Economic Development and the Ministry of Finance are to finalise the draft of a federal targeted programme on eliminating environmental damage that has accumulated as a result of previous economic activities, and submit this document to the Government by April 30, 2013 in accordance with the established procedure.

- The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment and the Foreign Ministry, in cooperation with the relevant executive authorities and organisations, are to study the issue of holding an international forum in the Russian Federation on issues related to efforts to protect polar bears in the Arctic.

Their proposals on this issue are to be submitted to the Government in accordance with the established procedure.

- The Ministry of Energy and the Ministry of Regional Development are to study the issue of transitioning certain Russian regions to the consumption of higher-quality motor oil, taking into account the capacity of refineries, and submit their proposals to the Government in accordance with the established procedure.

- The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, the Ministry of Economic Development, the Ministry of Finance and the Federal Anti-Monopoly Service are to examine the issue of imposing environmental standards regarding the quality of goods, works and services supplied as part of purchases for state and municipal needs, and report the results to the Government.

- The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, the Federal Service for Supervision of Natural Resources, the Ministry of Economic Development and the Ministry of Finance, in cooperation with the relevant federal executive authorities, are to draft proposals to improve the procedure for monitoring compliance with nature conservation legislation, to specify stricter penalties for violations of nature conservation and environmental protection legislation, as well as proposals regarding state environmental control over the reclamation of land plots polluted by oil and gas companies.

They are to submit their proposals to the Government during the first quarter of 2013 in accordance with the established procedure.

- The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, in cooperation with the relevant federal executive authorities and organisations, is to draft proposals on the development of a system of public environmental control and oversight, and submit these proposals to the Government in  accordance with the established procedure.

Deadline – February 20, 2013.

- The Ministry of Economic Development and the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, in cooperation with the relevant organisations, are to examine the issue of involving development institutions in efforts to address environmental protection issues, and submit their proposals to the Government.