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Tag: Arctic Forum

  • Putin speaks at the Arctic Forum

    Putin speaks at the Arctic Forum

    Putin during his speech.

    President of Russia, Vladimir Putin, held a speech at the third international Arctic Forum, in Salekhard. The first such forum was held in Moscow in September 2010, the second – in Arkhangelsk in 2011.

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    The main theme of the current forum is environmental security. The forum participants will discuss possible scenarios of climate change in the Arctic, the current level of pollution, the impact of its industrial development on indigenous peoples and a number of other issues.

    Taking part in the third international Arctic forum will also be President of Finland Sauli Niinist, President of Iceland Olafur Ragnar Grimsson, Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu and many others.

    “Today more than ever, the Arctic needs particular care and attention. Russia, where the Far North regions make up almost a third of the country’s territory, is conscious of its responsibility for preserving the Arctic’s environmental stability,” Putin said in his speech.

    “Many of you here today know that we have adopted the Arctic Environmental Protection Strategy. We are using it as the base for drafting our State Programme for the Russian Arctic’s Social and Economic Development until 2020.”

    President Putin also underlined Russis intentions to clean up the Arctic, and said that the federal budget allocated 45 million US dollars to the cleanup.

    “I also note that we plan to extend considerably the network of nature conservation areas in the Arctic region. These specially protected natural areas currently make up around 6% of the Russian Arctic, nearly 322,000 square kilometres. Our plan is to increase this area several-fold.”

    Putin also stressed that coperation is high on the Russian agenda: “I want to reaffirm today Russia’s commitment to this declaration’s principles, and also to our desire to do everything possible to make the Arctic in practice a territory of partnership, cooperation and dialogue between countries and between the public at the broadest level.”

    Read Presidents Putin speech here.

  • Archangelsk the place to be

    Archangelsk the place to be

    Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson talking to Vladimir Putin

    Archangelsk in Russia is the place to be this week. Hosting the Arctic Forum, the city also sports the biggest fair of the year this week, the famous Margaritinskaya fair.

    The 2nd International Arctic Forum “The Arctic: Territory of Dialogue” will take place at the Northern Arctic Federal University. The Russian Geographical Society organized the event which sports people like Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, Prince Albert II of Monaco and President of Iceland Dr. Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson.

    Up to 400 people are specially invited to the Forum, including noted scientists, representatives of NGOs, policy makers and businessmen.

    Arctic Portal has a representative at the forum. Project manager Halldór Jóhannsson is in Archangelsk for this week.

    The forum’s focus this year is on creating Arctic transportation infrastructure as a foundation for the development of the Arctic. This primarily involves the development of commercial and research navigation, transportation terminals (sea ports and airports) and corridors (the Northern Sea Route), polar aviation, cargo and passenger trans-polar and cross-polar transportation. Steady development of this infrastructure is vital for the very existence of the Arctic region.

    Special attention will be devoted to the full spectrum of safety issue in this difficult-to-develop region. From a technological perspective, it is necessary to ensure the safety of sea and air traffic using satellite, radio-navigation and hydro-meteorological monitoring. In terms of international law, it is necessary to create multilateral mechanisms for emergency warning and response, including search and rescue missions.

    The forum will also focus on cooperative efforts to protect the Arctic environment, environmental safety, the rational use of natural resources in the Arctic and improving the living standards of its indigenous people.