Vladimir Aleksandrovich Grachev (; 3 March 1942 – 26 April 2026) was a Russian scientist, politician and ecologist. He had a doctorate in engineering, and was a professor and corresponding member of the Russian Academy of Sciences. Grachev served as a member of the Supreme Soviet of the Russian SFSR, the 3rd State Duma, and the 4th State Duma. From 2008, he served as the advisor to the CEO of the State Atomic Energy Corporation Rosatom, chairman of the Public Council under the Rostekhnadzor, chairman of the Central Council of the All-Russian Society for Nature Conservation (2002–2010, 2017–2021), and president of the Vladimir Vernadsky Non-Governmental Environmental Fund.
Grachev was also a member of the Advisory Council under the Chairman of the Accounts Chamber of the Russian Federation, as well as a Member of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, the Russian Federation Commission for UNESCO, and the Supreme Environmental Council of the State Duma Committee on natural resources, the environment, and ecology.
Formation and academic degrees
In 1960, Grachev graduated with honors from Ivanovo Industrial College. In 1961, enrolled in the Penza Polytechnic Institute, specializing in foundry, from which he graduated with honors in 1966. In 1967, he enrolled in the graduate school of the Moscow Institute of Electronic Machine Building (MIEM). In 1969, he defended his master's thesis, and, in 1987, his doctoral dissertation. From 1991, he was a corresponding member of the Russian Academy of Sciences, in the department of physical chemistry and technology of inorganic materials. In 1996, he received a second degree in law at the Penza State University.
Beginning of professional activity After graduating from Ivanovo Industrial College in 1960, Grachev worked until 1974 at the Penza compressor plant where he moved from shop foreman to chief metallurgist of the head laboratory. From 1974 onward, Grachev was a senior lecturer, associate professor, and, from 1980, head of the "Machinery and Technology Foundry Department" of the Penza Polytechnic Institute.Department of "Machinery and Technology foundry" Penza Polytechnic Institute He was also the head of the department at the Bauman Moscow State Technical University and the Academy of Labour and Social Relations.
Career timeline 1960–1974technician, foreman, engineer, head of bureau, chief metallurgist of the head lab (Compressor Plant, Penza);1974–1993Senior lecturer, associate professor, head of the department of the Penza Polytechnic Institute;1993–1999Head of the staff of the Federation Council Committee on Science, Culture, Education, Health and Environment;1995–2009Head of the Department of Regional Economy and Innovation of the Academy of Tourism and Social Relations (part-time);1999–2007State Duma Deputy, chairman of the Committee on Ecology;2000–2007Member of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe;2008–2026Advisor to the Director General of the State Corporation "Rosatom", chairman of the board of the International Environmental NGO «GREENLIGHT».
Contributions to metallurgy Grachev's main areas of research were: thermodynamics, kinetics, and mechanism of interaction between the phases of metals and alloys, research works in thermodynamics and kinetics of melting of cast alloys, and environment and resource-saving in these processes.
In 1960–1974, at the Penza compressor plant, Grachev, beside his main work, carried out research on the rational use of natural gas fuel in industry. As a result of his innovations and inventions, all heating and drying ovens powered with liquid and solid fuels were converted to natural gas, bringing the plant considerable economic benefits and significantly reducing the adverse impact of the foundry on the environment. Grachev continued his research work, initiated at the plant, at the Penza Polytechnic Institute. This resulted in the theoretical justification of the implementation of the cupola process with natural gas instead of coke. The economic and environmental benefits of widespread use of the developed method were proven.
Grachev contributed to the theory of melting processes of casting alloys: he carried out a systematic analysis of these processes and developed a theory of interaction between the phases, taking into account the effect of temperature fluctuations, which greatly enriched the theoretical basis of melting thermodynamics, mechanics and kinetics of melting. His work was recognized abroad. In recent years, under the leadership of Grachev, a fundamentally new design of furnaces for melting aluminum alloys has been established, as well as a number of problems in the field of environmental engineering practice having been solved.
Federal Assembly of Russia In 1990, Grachev was nominated as a candidate to be a member of the Congress of People's Deputies of Russia by the staff of the Penza Polytechnic Institute, and elected at Pervomaisky district No. 568 (Penza Oblast) to the Congress of the Supreme Council. From 1990 to 1993, he was the deputy chairman of the Supreme Council for science and public education. He was a member of the "Communists for Democracy" faction. In December 1992, Grachev made a speech on behalf of the "Free Russia" faction at the seventh session. In the speech, which took place under the Russian Federation, Grachev advocated for expense reduction in defense, space exploration, and the maintenance of bureaucracy. In addition, he suggested lowering external debt accumulated by Russia by expanding the production of consumer goods, which would supplant the economic loss of a decreased military production and spending. In addition, he advocated for reallocating capital investments, and diverting the funds to the agricultural sector."Biography on dic.academic.ru"
In 1999, Grachev became chief of staff of the Russian Federation Council Committee on Science, Culture, Education, Health and Environment. On 19 December 1999, he was elected to the third State Duma from the Unity Party. In January 2000, he registered as a member of the parliamentary faction of the Unity Party in the State Duma; and, on 19 January 2000, he became head of the Committee on Environment. On 27 February 2000, at the founding congress of the all Russian political public movement "Unity", Grachev was elected member of the Political Council of "Unity". On 27 May 2000, at the founding congress of "Unity", he was elected member of the Presidium of the political council of the party.
On 7 December 2003, Grachev was elected to the fourth State Duma from the party "United Russia". He became a member of the faction "United Russia". He was then elected Chairman of the Committee on Ecology of the State Duma. As a member of the General Council of the Party, Grachev had a wide range of responsibilities in the assigned territories. In 2006, he was appointed coordinator of the Russian political party "United Russia" on environmental issues.
As Chairman of the State Duma Committee on Ecology, Grachev was personally involved in the development of more than 40 bills. He heads working groups for 18 of them, including the following: "On the board for the negative impact on the environment" (Federal Law of 10 January 2002 N 7-FZ "On Environmental Protection". Article 16. Fee for a negative impact on the environment) Federal Law of 26 June 2008 N 96-FZ – On Introducing Amendments to the Federal Law "On Ecological Expertise" "On the areas of ecological disaster" (Federal Law of 10 January 2002 N 7-FZ "On Environmental Protection". Chapter VIII, Environmental disaster areas, emergencies areas) "On soil protection" (Project of the Federal Law N 83224-3 «On soil protection" [introduced into the State Duma])Draft Federal Law N 83224-3 «On the Protection of Soil" (ed. offered for consideration to the State Duma) "On ecological culture" (Draft Federal Law "On Environmental Culture» No. 90060840-3 (introduced 7/13/2000)) "On Amending the Federal Law 'On Specially Protected Natural Territories"Federal Law 14.03.1995 N 33-FZ (as amended on 30.11.2011) "On Specially Protected Natural Areas" "On Amending the Federal Law "On the Hydrometeorological Service""Federal Law of 19.07.1998 N 113-FZ (as amended on 11.07.2011) "On the Hydrometeorological Service" "On Amending the Federal Law "On Protection of Lake Baikal" Federal Law of 01.05.1999 N 94-FZ (as amended on 07.18.2011) "On the Protection of Lake Baikal" (with add., coming into force from 01.08.2011)
Under the leadership of Grachev, the Federal Law "On Environmental Protection"Federal Act on January 10, 2002 N 7-FZ "On Environmental Protection" has been developed and adopted It is the country's "environmental constitution" that enables efficient combination of environmental protection, environmental management, and effective maintenance of all the sectors of economy.
On the initiative of the environmental community and the efforts of Grachev, on 23 July 2007, Vladimir Putin established by decree a professional holiday – Day of the Ecologist – observed on 5 June.Decree on the establishment of the "Environment Day"
Post Federal Assembly period From the beginning of his career, Grachev was paying much attention to environmental problems of the nuclear industry. Working in the Federal Assembly, he resolved, at the legislative level, issues related to the development of nuclear energy and nuclear safety. Grachev was author and active promoter of the concept that the large-scale introduction of nuclear power would solve global environmental problems. Largely due to his convictions, he became an advisor to the Director General, SC "Rosatom" in 2008 after retiring from government.
Environmental activity In addition to his main profession, Grachev was chairman of the Public Council of Rostekhnadzor.Public Council of the Rostechnadzor , member of the Public Council SC "Rosatom"
Grachev was a member of the Supreme Environmental Council of the State Duma Committee on Natural Resources, Environment and Ecology and a member of the advisory board under the Chairman of the Accounts Chamber of the Russian Federation.
Grachev interacted with international organizations, participating in international projects, symposia, conferences, forums – as an integral part of his activity. He was a member of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe and the Russian Federation Commission for UNESCO.
In 2001, Grachev founded the Ecological Movement of Concrete Deeds. This is a social movement whose goal was protection of the environment, human health, environmental safety, and prevention of environmental and technological disasters through concrete actions. On this basis, in 2010 the international environmental non-governmental organization Greenlight was established. Grachev was chairman of its executive board."International environmental non-governmental organization GREENLIGHT"
Greenlight is an international public environmental organization created to promote the establishment and development of clean and safe forms of energy production, to actively promote, conserve and restore the natural environment, and be interested in continual improvements in the areas of environmental protection and health care. The organization focuses on a number of activities, among them: natural resources management; environmental monitoring, providing independent and transparent view of the environmental performance of a wide range of projects; public participation in environmental policy implementation; and creation of a favorable ecological environment and human habitat.
Greenlight's mission statement: promote the establishment and development of clean, environment friendly and safe forms of energy production; promote cooperation between environmental NGOs and government in environmental policy implementation in accordance with the Ecological Doctrine of Russia and the concept of sustainable development declared by the UN;