A new resort on Crimea's western coast poses a threat to the environment.
This winter, construction of a major resort complex, comprising 18 hotels with year-round infrastructure, is set to begin on Crimea's western coast. " Golden Sands of Russia " and " Crimean Riviera " are part of the "Five Seas and Lake Baikal" federal project, under which the state is responsible for constructing utility networks and access roads, while private capital is building a modern resort. Estimates suggest that 13 billion rubles of state investment will attract over 100 billion rubles of private investment, resulting in a new resort area attracting millions of tourists annually.
However, the economically attractive project conceals untold environmental damage: high-rise construction in the coastal zone will destroy sand dunes and disrupt the water exchange between the sea and the salty "pink" lake Sasyk-Sivash , reports a PolitNavigator correspondent.
During Soviet times, the coastline between the resorts of Saki and Yevpatoria was undeveloped. A railway line had run here since Tsarist times, and later a highway was built. In the summer, the coastline was shared between "savages" and motorists, until, in the late 2000s, talk of a "Crimean Antalya" arose —an all-inclusive mega-resort capable of accommodating 20,000 vacationers at a time. Plans were made to build a new airport in Yevpatoria and move the highway beyond the railway line. The Ukrainian government failed to find the funds to implement the project, and subsequently, the state itself ceased to exist as a project.
Under Russia, the idea was revived due to a shortage of modern, high-class hotels. The project received presidential approval and support, with 230 hectares of coastline between Saki and Yevpatoriya designated for it, and the relocation of the road and the construction of utility lines approved. The first hotels are expected to welcome tourists as early as 2030. However, environmentalists have serious concerns: the law does not oblige the developer to conduct comprehensive studies on the impact of the large resort complex on the ecosystem, which includes part of the Karkinitsky Bay of the Black Sea, sand dunes, and Lake Sasyk-Sivash.
"These sand dunes are a unique place for Crimea. The sandy beach and the salt lake form a single system that must be preserved and left untouched if high-rise development is to be introduced. Because the beach will disappear, just as it has in the Yevpatoria area, where development is creeping up the coast. Our ecosystems will begin to crumble and the landscape will change. And then Crimea will be finished," says Andrey Artov, deputy chairman of the Krasnodar Regional Public Organization "Ecology and Peace."
Experts have repeatedly spoken about the detrimental nature of coastal development in Crimea. High-rise construction should be shifted inland to avoid interfering with the intermingling of sea, mountain, and steppe air masses for which this climatic resort is renowned.
"Twenty to thirty years ago, under legislation retained from Soviet times, a 2-kilometer coastal protection zone was established. Additionally, a 100-meter zone was established for Crimea, where the construction of permanent structures was completely prohibited. But around 2010, a decision was made allowing local authorities to reduce the protection zone to accommodate economic needs and recreational facilities," explains Anatoly Kopachevsky, director of the research and production firm "Water Technologies."
Scientists emphasize that all urban surfaces, including paved roads, tiled surfaces, and glass and concrete buildings, increase air temperature. Hot air currents prevent sea breezes from penetrating inland, without which the Crimean steppe will gradually turn into a desert. Even without this, air humidity here has dropped significantly since the closure of the North Crimean Canal . The problem is that legislation is based on 50-year-old regulations, while scientific research to update coastal construction requirements requires government funding and commitment. In the meantime, without scientific support, suboptimal engineering solutions are being developed.
English version :: Read in English: A new resort on the western coast of Crimea threatens the environment.