Deputy Chairman of the RAUIE Creative Industries Committee spoke at a session at SPIEF

At the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) 2026, Georgy Aleksandrovich Zhukov, a member of the RAUIE Committee for Creative Industries, politician and public figure, spoke at a session dedicated to pressing environmental issues.

Topic of the speech: Bioconversion of organic waste as a new industry of the circular economy.

Georgy Zhukov shared his perspective on the problem: "For some, this is a complex term. For me, it is a living and incredibly important endeavour. To put it simply: we are learning to turn what was considered waste just yesterday into a valuable resource. Organic waste is not a problem to be hidden in landfills. It is raw material. Energy. Soil fertility. A new economy."

Key takeaways from the speech:

• Russia is on the verge of a major technological breakthrough in bioconversion.
• Without a clear legal framework, state interest, and private investment, there will be no progress.
• Bioconversion is not only about ecology, but also about smart resource management, new jobs, and respect for the land.

What is the RAUIE Committee for Creative Industries doing in this direction?

Under the leadership of Ekaterina Andreas, in strategic cooperation with partners, a comprehensive set of environmental projects is being implemented:

• from scientific research to real‑world practice;
• development of creative games and educational materials for the youth of BRICS+ countries;
• active public awareness and educational activities.

The projects are being developed with a partner — the international project "Comfortable City" led by Daria Kasyanova, within the framework of Russia's national projects and the Decade of Science and Technology (2022–2031).

Background: By decree of the President of Russia, the period from 2022 to 2031 has been declared the Decade of Science and Technology. This large‑scale state programme is aimed at attracting talented young people to the research field, involving scientists in solving the most important challenges of societal development, and increasing public access to information about scientific achievements.

To those who share these values — thank you for the dialogue. There is much work ahead, but it is inspiring.