Abstract The region of NW Russia connecting with the Baltic Sea presents a dynamic ecological system that was sensitive to environmental changes during the Holocene. Certain factors affected environmental changes in the region during the Holocene: deglaciation processes, that finally terminated about 9 cal ka BP; eustatic sea-level changes; and tectonic movements, which are basically considered in the region as isostatic uplift processes. Contextual remains of ancient human occupation sites can be the only evidence of surface stabilization in monotonous sediments, such as aquatic and subaquatic deposits. Prehistoric settlements also mark ancient shorelines. The latter is of great importance for studying the history of water oscillations and coastal-line displacements on the territory of NW Russia. The transgressive–regressive stages of the Baltic Sea (at c. 10.15 cal ka BP, the Ancylus transgression; at c. 7.6–7.0 cal ka BP, the Littorina transgression) have an impact on the positions of prehistorical sites. The complex investigations of the Stone Age archaeological settlements on the Karelian Isthmus and in the Dvina–Lovat’ basin, and their altitudes below sea level, allowed us to reconstruct palaeoenvironmental changes during the Holocene, the chronology of cultural–historical processes and the adaptation strategy of ancient people to environmental conditions in this territory.

Abstract Oil shales are comprised of clastic, organic, carbonate and minor sulphide fractions. The relative proportions of these fractions influence the composition and potential environmental impact of wastes produced by mining, combustion, and retorting of these shales. Mining produces spoils and gangues, which may or may not produce acidic leachates, depending on relative proportions of sulphide and carbonate minerals. Combustion of oil shale for power production produces slag and ash, which, when deposited as huge heaps and plateaux, can generate highly alkaline leachates. Power plants also emit acid-producing and greenhouse gases (SO 2 , NO x , and CO 2 ) and particulate matter. Emitted particulate matter is dominated by basic oxides (e.g., CaO), the fallout of which tends to neutralize any tendency to environmental acidification. Estonian oil shales are highly unfavourable in terms of greenhouse gas emissions: CO 2 is generated both by decomposition of carbonates and oxidation of organic carbon, and 0.029 t/GJ carbon (C) is emitted for an energy yield of only 9 GJ/t shale. Finally, retorting of oil shales produces organically contaminated condensate water and semi-coke solid residue, leachates from which can contain several hundred mg/L phenols.