Startsev Alexander Alexandrovich

Higher education: engineering (1975, Prof. M.A. Bonch-Bruevich Leningrad Electrotechnical Institute of Communications, majoring in Radio Communications and Broadcasting) and law (2000, Saint Petersburg State University of Water Communications, specialization in Environmental Law).

Upon graduating from the institute in 1975, he worked at the Komintern Research and Production Association (Ministry of the Communications Equipment Industry) as an Engineer and Senior Engineer. He subsequently served in the armed forces as a commissioned officer in Leningrad.

Starting in 1990, he served for ten years as Director General of the specialized environmental enterprise CJSC (joint venture) “Interferrum-Metall” (a ship-breaking and recycling plant within the Vtorchermet Production Association system in Saint Petersburg—the only industrial facility of its kind in North-West Russia). The plant specialized in the disposal and recycling of hazardous military and industrial waste and participated in the state defence procurement programme for the decommissioning and dismantling of end-of-life armaments and military hardware (naval ships, submarines, vessels and floating craft, as well as land-based military equipment).

Over this ten-year period, the plant carried out a substantial volume of environmental remediation work to clear the eastern Gulf of Finland and adjacent waterways of decommissioned floating structures, including sunken vessels. The total dock weight of recycled vessels and watercraft amounted to approximately 70,000 metric tons.

Between 1998 and 2003, he initiated and organized an international project on the Russian island of Bolshoy Tyuters in the Gulf of Finland, in cooperation with specialists from the Royal Institute of Technology (KTH, Sweden) and the North-Western Regional Centre of EMERCOM of Russia, with the support of the Government of Saint Petersburg. The project encompassed surveying, locating, and clearing the island’s territory of German unexploded ordnance remaining from World War II (the Great Patriotic War). He organized and personally participated in three expeditions to the island, during which approximately 3,000 explosive remnants of war (primarily 88 mm and 150 mm German artillery shells) were located and destroyed.

In 2000, he designed the project for—and for 20 years directed—the non-profit North-Western International Cleaner Production Centre (NWICPC), established in Saint Petersburg by the Environment Department of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO). The project was implemented with the support of the Saint Petersburg City Administration, relevant federal ministries, and committees of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation under the UNIDO–Russia Cooperation Programme (1999–2002).

Since 2007, he has served as a certified UNIDO International Expert in Chemical Safety and Cleaner Production (energy efficiency, resource conservation, and waste minimization). He took part in numerous international UNIDO programmes and projects. During his tenure at the Centre, he organized internships and trained 48 international and national UNIDO experts.

Starting in 2014, he served concurrently, for ten years, as Director of the International Research and Educational Centre within Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University (SPbPU). Scope of activities: promoting the development of advanced Russian environmental technologies; conducting research and development (R&D) projects, including for SUE “Vodokanal of St. Petersburg”; collaborating with Russian scientists and industry specialists; and leading scientific outreach and educational initiatives.

In 2015, the International Supreme Academic Council of the International University of Fundamental Studies (IUFS), Oxford Educational Network, awarded him the degree of Grand Doctor of Philosophy (Grand Ph.D.) in Ecodynamics and Geopolitics (Diploma GPD No. 15 11 017). Professor and Member of the International Supreme Academic Council of IUFS.

Since 2019, Corresponding Member of the Russian Academy of Natural Sciences (RANS, elected via the Moscow Regional Branch); since 2022, Member of the Public Russian Ecological Academy.

From 2000 to 2015, served as a voluntary assistant to Members of the relevant Committee of the State Duma of the Russian Federation, contributing to the preparation of parliamentary hearings and committee sessions.

From 2005 to 2015, served as an Expert of the Supreme Ecological Council under the relevant State Duma Committee (Section on Environmental and Radiation Safety).

From 2012 to 2021, Chairman of the Council of the Saint Petersburg Regional Branch of the Political Party “Russian Ecological Party ‘The Greens’”. Elected Member of the Central Council of the party “The Greens”. In July 2016, nominated by the Congress of the Russian Ecological Party “The Greens” as a candidate for Deputy of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation (in single-mandate constituency No. 216, Saint Petersburg, and on the federal party list).

From 2016 to 2018, Honorary Adviser to the Governor of Saint Petersburg, G.S. Poltavchenko.

Since 2021, Expert of the Standing Commission on Ecology and Nature Management of the Legislative Assembly of Saint Petersburg, specializing in chemical safety and climate change mitigation.