St. Petersburg, June 2025 — A sustainable ecological future is only possible through a global alliance of scientists. This was the key conclusion of the session titled “Ecology of the Future. Horizons of a New Reality”, held at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF-2025).
Participants explored urgent actions needed today to secure the environmental future, and reflected on where individual responsibility to future generations begins and ends.
Vyacheslav Fetisov, Chair of the All-Russian Society for Nature Protection and First Deputy Chairman of the Russian State Duma’s Committee on Ecology, stated: “The future depends on how we treat it. Fifty percent of the Earth’s soils are already degraded, and many countries are facing serious water crises. The state must take greater control over fundamental environmental issues.”
Fetisov also warned about threats to Lake Baikal and the Volga River, and stressed the importance of anticipating environmental risks: “In a world headed for self-destruction, we don’t hear science loudly enough.”
Alexander Sergeev, Scientific Director of the National Center for Physics and Mathematics, suggested that humanity may have already triggered irreversible natural processes. He emphasized the rapid decline in soil fertility: “We already have microbial technologies that can dramatically improve fertility. What we need is scientific support and regulatory action.” He also stressed the need for independent environmental assessments.
Riccardo Valentini, Nobel Peace Prize laureate and professor, supported the idea of forming a global alliance of scientists. “The future depends on how well we can unite our efforts. We must shift toward a new business concept rooted in sustainability. Science can solve any problem—except immortality—so we must invest in it,” he said.
