Referent: Vasif Safarov

Environmental problems are mainly characterized in terms of size, urgency, intensity, impact on society and economy, etc. To understand modern-day complex environmental problems and their impact in the Southern Caucasian region, to analyze their development and severity and to find sustainable and effective solutions for them requires a thorough historical analysis, as the vast majority of these problems have been existing for a long time.

This project is dedicated to environmental history of the South Caucasus under the Soviet rule. Earlier known environmental problems like droughts, floods, volcano eruptions, etc. are mostly of natural origins and have no continuous character. In the last century, however, the situation changed dramatically. World War I and World War II, the rise of nationalism and the fall of colonialism, great scientific and technological discoveries, space exploration and the discovery of nuclear power, globalization and dramatic population growth are characteristics of the 20th century (cf. Wilson, 2003).

These tremendous changes have had an indelible impact on the biosphere, environment and ecology. “In environmental history, the 20th century qualifies as a peculiar century because of the screeching acceleration of so many processes that bring ecological change” (McNeil, 2001).

This presentation is going to examine Soviet archive documents pertaining to the state of the environment. The focus will particularly lie on the official Soviet standpoint(s) towards environmental issues before shifting towards the post-Soviet South Caucasus and the environmental burden left by the Soviet decades.

---

Zeit & Ort

Donnerstag, 11.05.2017  |  18:00 Uhr

Institut für Geschichtswissenschaften
Raum 5008 (5. OG)
Friedrichstraße 191

Weitere Informationen finden Sie hier.