Dear colleagues!

It is with a feeling of great satisfaction that I welcome a new publication – the Privolzhsky Scientific Journal. Your journal is addressed to scientists and technicians, students and all other readers with inquiring mind who are interested to learn more about the present position and the role of science in the world, its today’s problems and achievements. No doubt, social, ecological, and cultural issues which are important for the regions of the Volga basin will also be reflected in the journal. I hope the journal will thus promote scientific and educational activities aimed at enhancing human security in a changing world. I am sure that the results of the cooperation between the Institute for Environment and Human Security of the United Nations University (UNU-УРЫ) and NNGASU will be published in this new scientific periodical.

I wish the editors and authors of this new journal fruitful work and success, and hope that the Privolzhsky Scientific Journal will find its audience not only in Russia, but also beyond its territory.

Professor, Dr.-Ing., Dr.h.c., Director, UNU-EHS, Janos J. Bogardi Bonn, Germany