非營利組織北高加索環境監督團體向國際奧委會和聯合國機構提出要求，封殺為2014年冬奧會，興建通往位於黑海沿岸索契滑雪度假村的道路計劃。
計劃中通往坐落於斯卡寇嶺（Psekhako）奧林匹克滑雪場地的道路，將穿越聯合國教科文組織（UNESCO）世界遺產場址西高加索山區和其週邊受保護緩衝區。而投資興建這條道路的後台大老闆就是全球最大天然氣公司，國有企業俄羅斯天然氣工業股份公司（Gazprom）。該滑雪體育場與配套營運設施將於2010年完成。
但環境監督團體成員路德馬卡（Andrey Rudomakha）說：「事實上，執意要闢建這條路線的就只有該天然氣公司。」因為他們的管理階層不樂見道路穿過其位於阿赤配斯（Achipse）河左岸的貴族坡利亞納（Polyana）大酒店，擾亂他們的客戶。他說：「就這樣，企業利益得以逍遙法外，不受嚴禁自然保護區内修建公路的俄羅斯法律制約。」
本月初環境監督團體給奧林匹克和聯合國當局的信中要求他們：「要俄羅斯當局基於破壞環境考量下，放棄此道路項目。」
5月14日到16日，UNESCO世界遺產委員會主席桑岡多（Maria Jesus San Segundo）和世界遺產中心主任班達仁（Francesco Bandarin）到訪索契，並會晤了俄羅斯自然資源和生態環境部長魯特涅夫（Yury Trutnev）。趁此機會，監督團體對官員們提出正式書面訴求。
該團體在訴求書中表示：「俄羅斯天然氣工業股份公司過去也有破壞高加索保護區和世界遺產場址西高加索山區的記錄。不幸的是，儘管國法嚴禁在保護區内興建道路，但仍敵不過該公司有數個政府機構在背後撐腰的事實。」
UNESCO世界遺產委員會於2008年7月會議期間作出了一項決定，呼籲俄羅斯停止所有可能損害受保護場址的活動，特別是目前為準備2014年冬奧會的開發及道路計劃。
環境監察團體在書中還警告奧會和UNESCO官員表示：「2014年奧會籌備工程仍在索契進行中，與奧林匹克運動精神的原則完全背道而馳。」
該團體還向俄羅斯總統梅德韋傑夫（Dmitry Medvedev）和俄羅斯總理普丁（Vladimir Putin）提出禁建道路的請求，但表示「少了國際組織的參與，解除危機的機率微乎其微。」
1999年列於世界遺產名錄的西高加索山區，在高加索山脈最西端，位于黑海東北部50公里處，佔地275萬多公頃。從低地延伸到亞高山地帶綿延的原始山林，在歐洲堪稱獨一無二。該區豐富多樣的生態系統，孕育重要的本地特有野生動植物，是山區亞種歐洲野牛的原產和復育地。
The nonprofit group Environmental Watch on North Caucasus has appealed to the International Olympic Committee and United Nations agencies to block construction of a road that would access the Olympic Ski Complex planned for the 2014 Winter Olympic Games at the Black Sea coastal resort of Sochi.
The planned road to the Olympic Ski Complex on Psekhako Ridge would cross the Western Caucasus UNESCO World Heritage Site as well as its protected buffer zone. The investor behind this road is the state company Gazprom, the world's largest gas company. Construction of the Olympic Ski Stadium with operating facilities is scheduled for completion in 2010.
Andrey Rudomakha, coordinator of Environmental Watch on North Caucasus, says, "But in reality, only Gazprom needs the road to go via this specific route" because Gazprom's management is unwilling to have the road cut through their elite Grand Hotel Polyana complex on the left bank of Achipse River, since it will disturb their clients. "In this way," he says, "corporate interests end up above Russian legislation, which strictly forbids construction of roads in nature reserves."
In a letter to the Olympic and UN authorities earlier this month, Environmental Watch on North Caucasus asks them "to address the Russian authorities and ask them to abandon the harmful road project to Psekhako Ridge through the World Heritage Site 'Western Caucasus' as well as its protected buffer zone.
From May 14 through 16, Chair of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee Maria Jesus San Segundo and Director of the World Heritage Centre Francesco Bandarin visited Sochi and had a meeting with Yury Trutnev, the Russian Minister of Natural Resources and Ecology. In this connection, Environmental Watch on North Caucasus has directed the official appeal to San Segundo and Bandarin.
In their letter of appeal, the group says, "This is not the first time Gazprom is threatening the Caucasus Reserve and the Western Caucasus World Heritage Site. Unfortunately, the company's project is de-facto supported by various state agencies despite the fact that constructing roads in protected areas is prohibited by Russian national legislation."
During the July 2008 meeting of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee, a decision was taken calling upon Russia to "halt all activities affecting the values and integrity of the property, in particular, the extensive risks to the property from the current plans for the developments for 2014 Winter Olympic Games, and road plans."
But the group warned Olympic and UNESCO officials in its letter of appeal that "Preparations for the 2014 Olympic Games in Sochi are still being carried out. All of this flagrantly contradicts the principles of the Olympic movement."
The group also has addressed a request to stop the road to Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and Russian Premier Vladimir Putin, but says "removing this threat without participation of international organization seems unlikely."
Listed in 1999, the Western Caucasus World Heritage Site extends over 275,000 hectares of the extreme western end of the Caucasus mountains about 50 kilometers (30 miles) northeast of the Black Sea. Its extensive tracts of undisturbed mountain forests, extending from the lowlands to the subalpine zone, are unique in Europe. The site has a great diversity of ecosystems, with important endemic plants and wildlife, and is the place of origin and reintroduction of the mountain subspecies of the European bison.
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In my healing journey and learning to attain the breath awareness, I become aware of the reality that all the creatures of the world are breathing the same breath. Take action, here and now. From my physical being to the every corner of this out of balance's planet.
