Rail Baltic is an international rail connection, which vision to unite Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania with the rest of Europe, was already dated from the early 1990s [4]. By now, the route Tallinn-Pärnu-Riga- Panevėžys -Kaunas has been determined, but forward to Warsaw, there is a need to catch another train. The total length of Rail Baltic is going to be ~870 km (also includes a railway to Warsaw) with passenger train speed up to 240km/h [7]. It's said that Rail Baltic is going to be an eco-friendly travel and freight opportunity for Central and Western Europe for the Nordic countries as well. The implementation of the project is based on strict safety requirements, a modern European rail traffic management system (ERTMS) will be used to ensure safe train traffic. The total cost of a new high-speed railway will reach up to 5 billion euros, funded by Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and the EU [6]. The present project is going to make most damage to the natural environment and rural communities, which are used to live away from traffic, also to forest owners and farmers, from whose land the high-speed railway going to run [2]. An example of Estonia, the rail line corridor (66-meter wide, 210 km long) will take down about 850 hectares of woodland, of which 300 ha is private property [3]. With acquisition of land is intended to find a satisfying agreement for all parties involved in Rail Baltic otherwise, expropriation will be implemented [6]. The biggest negative impact will take place at the construction stage of Rail Baltic when the railway being created in places where there have never been any rail tracks. It will destroy the habitats of animals, plants, humans and also habitual migration routes of animals and birds [5]. To mitigate the situation of migration routes, there is planned to build several ecoducts, specially designed bridges for large game and a separate passages for smaller animals. Also, the exact location of the railway is not certain which is why it's impossible to predict the fragmentation of many habitats [1]. The research company AECOM confirmed that it would be more useful to build a railway with European standard gauge (1435mm), which would also ensure quieter train traffic [4]. At the current moment, it's estimated that 32 trains will pass through every day [1]. Because of that, it is not possible to completely prevent the noise pollution and vibrations that would disturb all those living creatures of the present peaceful way of life [5]. The project has received a lot of negative and positive feedback. There have been various protestations and signature collections from landowners and distrustful citizens, to prevent the implementation of the project. At the current time, negotiations with landowners are in progress, necessary studies will be carried out, etc. Construction work on railway is expected to begin in 2019 and according to plans, in 2026 traffic on the new railway should begin [6].

Rahvusvahelise ühendusega kiirraudtee Rail Baltic Eestis

Rail Baltic on rahvusvaheline raudteeühendus, mille visioon ühendamaks Eestis, Lätit ja Leedut ülejäänud Euroopaga on pärit juba 1990ndate algusest [4]. Tänaseks on kindlaks tehtud marsruut suunaga Tallinn–Pärnu–Riia–Panevėžys–Kaunas, edasi Varssavisse saamiseks on olemas vajalik raudteeühendus ümberistumisega. Uus raudtee saab olema kogu pikkusega ~870 km ning reisirongi kiiruseks kuni 240km/h [7].

Rail Balticust räägitakse kui keskkonnasäästlikust reisi- ja kaubaveo võimalusest Kesk- ja Lääne-Euroopasse ning Põhjariikidesse. Projektis elluviimisel peetakse silmas rangeid ohutusnõudeid, turvaliseks rongiliikluse juhtimiseks kasutatakse kaasaegset Euroopa raudteeliikluse juhtimissüsteemi (ERTMS). Uue kiirraudtee kogumaksumus ulatub 5 miljardi euroni, mille rahastajad on Eesti, Läti, Leedu ning ka EL [6]. Antud projektiga kahjustatakse enim looduskeskkonda ning rahulikes paikades elavate kogukondade gruppe, sh kahjud ka metsaomanikele ja põllumajandusega tegelevatele inimestele, kelle maadest kiirraudtee läbi hakkab kulgema [2]. Eesti näitel on 66 meetri laiuses trassikoridoris ja 210 km pikkusel raudteel 850 ha metsamaad, millest 300 ha kuulub eraomandisse [3]. Maa omandamisega püütakse leida igat Rail Balticuga seotud osapooli rahuldav kokkulepe, selle mitte saavutamisel rakendatakse aga sundvõõrandamine [6]. Suurim negatiivne mõju leiab aset Rail Balticu ehitusjärgus, kui raudtee luuakse paikadesse, kus varem pole ühtegi trassi olnud. Sellega hävitatakse loomade, taimede, inimeste elupaiku ning veeringlust, samuti loomade ja lindude harjumuspäraseid rändeteid [5]. Rändeteede olukorra leevendamiseks plaanitakse rajada mitmeid suurulukitele mõeldud ökodukte, erilahendusega sildasid ning väiksematele loomadele ka eraldi läbipääse, samuti pole veel raudtee täpne asukoht kindel, mispärast ei saa ennustada paljude elupaikade killustumist [1]. Briti uuringufirma AECOM-i poolt kinnitati, et raudtee on otstarbekam rajada Euroopa standardrööpmelaiusega (1435mm), mis tagaks ka vaiksema rongiliikluse [4]. Praeguse hetkega on arvestatud 32 rongi möödumisega ööpäevas [1]. Sellest tulenevalt ei ole võimalik täielikult vältida tekkivat mürareostust ja vibratsioone, mis senise rahuliku eluviisiga elusolendeid häirima hakkaks [5]. Projekt on saanud palju negatiivset kui ka positiivset vastukaja. On korraldatud erinevaid protestiaktsioone ning kogutud allkirju, seda nii maaomanike kui umbusklike kodanike poolt, et takistada projekti elluviimist. Hetkeseisuga toimuvad läbirääkimised maaomanikega, koostatakse detailplaneeringuid, viiakse läbi vajalikke uuringuid jne. 2019. a.  on plaanis alustada ehitustöödega põhitrassil ning alates 2026. aastast soovitakse avada liiklus Rail Baltic raudteel [6].

Environmental impact

  • Air pollution
  • Land degradation (e.g. drought, soil contamination, erosion and desertification)
  • Biodiversity loss – Ecosystem destruction
  • Waste, waste disposal, and toxicants
  • Alteration of landscape aesthetics and built heritage

Ethical/ legal issues

  • Health and well-being
  • A clean and prosperous environment and a safe and pleasant habitat
  • Indigenous land, culture and rituals
  • Access to public goods/ resources and products

Information sources & materials

Online books and newspaper, magazine, encyclopedia, or blog articles

[1]. Heiki Kalle: What does Rail Baltica mean for the environment (2016). URL:  http://railbaltic.info/et/10-ee-sisu/433-heikki-kalle-mida-taehendab-rail-baltic-keskkonnale (16.08.2017)

[2]. Metssalu, J. (2014). Environmental Impact Assessment. Openly about Rail Baltica. URL: http://avalikultrailbalticust.ee/index.php?id=6 (15.08.2017)

[3]. Mets, M. (2017). Rail Baltic nörritab metsaomanikke. Äripäev. URL: http://www.aripaev.ee/uudised/2017/03/21/rail-baltic-metsaomanikke-ei-hellita (15.08.2017)

[4]. National Audit Office’s overview of the agreement between the governments of Estonia, Lithuania and Latvia regarding the development of the Rail Baltica railway connection (2017). URL:  http://objektiiv.ee/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/RKTR_2425_2-1.4_2177_004-2.pdf (15.08.2017)

[5]. Openly about Rail Baltica (2014). Problems. URL: http://avalikultrailbalticust.ee/index.php?id=37 (15.08.2017)

[6]. The Rail Baltic Project (2015). URL: http://railbaltic.info/et/projektist-rail-baltic (15.08.2017)

Legal & public policy reports and documents

[7]. Rail Baltica Global Project Cost-Benefit Analysis (2017). Final Report. URL: https://www.dropbox.com/s/f7om2698sxmbxyn/RB_CBA_FINAL_REPORT.pdf?dl=0&oref=e (15.08.2017)

Contributor(s)

Pille-Riin Meltsas, pilleriin.meltsas@hotmail.com , MSc student of Estonian University of Life Sciences

Content repository

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