Ways to protect the ecosystem of Lake Baikal and clean up the Arctic topped the agenda during a meeting between Russian Special Presidential Representative for Environmental Protection, Ecology and Transport Sergei Ivanov and the United Nations Environmental Programme's Patron of the Oceans Lewis Pugh, the Kremlin reported on its website.

Mr. Ivanov and Mr. Pugh spoke about Russia's activities within the framework of the UN Environment Program (UNEP).

"Sergei Ivanov gave his guest a detailed overview of the events Russia is planning to conduct during the Year of the Environment. They discussed issues of waste disposal and Arctic clean-up, as well as the conservation of the Lake Baikal ecosystem and the creation of new specially protected natural areas," the report says.

Mr. Pugh said that Russia's environmental efforts were receiving little coverage in Western media. He suggested using UNEP opportunities to provide objective coverage of the state of affairs in this sphere.