Environmental pressure groups were particularly alarmed by the Russian government's decision to hand the committee's functions over to the Ministry of Natural Resources, the body responsible for licensing the commercial exploitation of natural resources. This merger created an instant clash between those officials working to make a profit from Russia's abundant timber, oil and mineral stocks, and those labouring to protect and preserve the country's forests and plains. The abolition of the only agency designed to deal with environmental issues comes at a time when Russia has an overwhelmingly wide variety of ecological disaster situations to contend with. The scale of the ecological problems with which we are already burdened is such that, if strict controls are not maintained, they could swiftly develop to prompt a global ecological crisis. Russia will suffer, but other countries will also be unable to protect themselves from the consequences,' warned Yev-geny Usov from Greenpeace's Moscow office.
Government officials have yet to explain why they chose to disband the environment committee.
The abolition proved so unpopular that the new Prime Minister, Mikhail Kasyanov, quickly launched a review into whether the presidential decree had been wise. He was due to announce the review's findings last month, but no details were announced and no public discussion has occurred. Mishchenko said if her lawsuit against the President failed, she would attempt to sue the government, failing which she would open a case against the Natural Resources Ministry. I'm trying to remain optimistic that we will be able to reverse the decree,' she said.