Political processes and institutions. Рубрика в журнале - Arctic and North
Property and government interests of Russia under globalization: the Arctic case
Статья научная
Modern processes of the global property and governance formation are contradictory combined with the preservation and reproduction of economic interactions within the framework of individual States, regions and inter-state relations. The actualization of these processes in the Arctic region is due to its transformation into a place of focus and the most acute manifestation of the new contradictions between globalization and nation — state interests. The author concluded that the implementation of the Russian Arctic strategy is complicated by the uncertainty of prospects and the variation of possible vectors of the new globalization. The article substantiates the need for drastic measures to strengthen the Russian position in the Arctic due to the current strengthening of regionalization and fragmentation of the world economy. The geo-economic and geopolitical configuration of international cooperation in the Arctic may change in the near future due to the transition from of a unipolar to a multipolar model of the world order and the growing threats of a new hybrid cold war. It’s shown that the contradictions between the Arctic powers are complicated against the background of the desire of the non-Arctic countries to participate in the exploitation of the region's resources. The author reveals the issues related to the search of the optimal balance between the objective imperatives of globalization and the protection of nation — state and regional interests of Russia as the largest Arctic power.
Бесплатно
Prospects of cooperation between Russia and North-East Asian countries in the Arctic region
Статья научная
Significant increase in global attention to the Arctic, as well as the intensive development of technologies for its study, makes the cooperation between various countries increasingly important. The article discusses the history and current interaction in the Arctic region between Russia (and its predecessor, the USSR) with North-East Asia (NEA) — China, Japan, and the Republic of Korea. The author noted the increasing scientific and practical interest of the NEA countries to study the Arctic, analyzed it and main aspirations of these countries to cooperate with Russia. Also, the author reviewed the most significant internal laws and regulations governing their activities in the Arctic. It was concluded that the high prospects for cooperation between the countries of Northeast Asia and Russia occur. Main directions of possible interaction in the region are presented in the article along with the highlighted unique position of the Russian Far East as one of the critical links.
Бесплатно
Статья научная
The article analyzes the experience of public participation in the planning of a comfortable urban environment. The forms of public involvement in the formation of a comfortable urban environment and their implementation are considered on the example of the Arkhangelsk region. The method of complex analysis of the theory and practice of public communications helps the article to present a qualitative assessment of public involvement in the improvement of the urban environment. It is shown that the existing methods of interaction between the authorities and citizens represent a one-sided process and often they are reduced to the formal fulfillment of legal requirements by municipalities. To improve the efficiency of public participation, the authors propose to develop a communicative model of urban space management based on constant interaction between municipal authorities and citizens. This model will allow establishing a dialogue between all stakeholders, which will ultimately lead to the successful implementation of the urban environmental program and improve the quality of life of citizens.
Бесплатно
Relevant aspects of international legal regulation of the Arctic shipping
Статья научная
The critical aspects of the international legal regulation of shipping in the Arctic discussed on the international Arctic agenda are analyzed. The authors examine the specifics of the Northern Sea Route legal status from the perspective of the leading role of the Arctic coastal states and the possibilities for countries to specify at the national and regional levels the universal norms of international maritime law at the national and regional levels. The authors devoted much attention to the study of the UNCLOS 1982, Art. 234, which gives coastal states the right to adopt national laws and regulations to control pollution of the marine environment in ice-covered areas within exclusive economic zones. The article is one of the leading international legal grounds for the Russia's establishment of control over the NSR shipping. The Polar Code, entered into force in 2017, is examined separately. The article also presents expert opinions on navigation forecasts in the Arctic region.
Бесплатно
Russia and India in the Arctic: a case for greater synergy
Статья научная
The article studies the cooperation between Russia and India with specific reference to the Arctic region. The melting of the Arctic sea ice has seen tremendous investment by Russia in the Arctic. It has sought strategic partners for the development of the Arctic, with the primary focus being on the development of the oil and gas industry and the Northern Sea Route. Russia and India have had long-standing diplomatic relations. It has been in diverse spheres such as space, atomic energy, defense, oil and gas, diamond industry, steel industry being just a few ones. Russia’s focus on the Arctic ushers in many more opportunities for Russia and India to cooperate. India is one of the few countries to which Russia has accorded many investment opportunities in oil and gas and the diamond industry. India has made some investments in the oil and gas industry of the Russian Arctic. However, the article highlights that the energy deficit in India is dangerous, and it affects the development of the country. The article suggests more significant Indian investment in the Arctic, including phase II of the Yamal LNG project. It brings out a need for greater cooperation in scientific research, specifically climate change and hydrography, and possible utilization of the immense technically qualified human resource that India has in diverse areas of the Arctic. It is relevant for diplomats, civil servants, oil and gas companies, strategic mineral companies, hydrographic authorities, and researchers in both countries involved in developing the Arctic and the Northern Sea Route. The article may be of interest for relevant courses and programs at universities.
Бесплатно
Svalbard in the context of Arctic security
Статья научная
The article studies Svalbard’s role in the Arctic security agenda, the history of the implementation of the Paris Treaty 1920 with the emphasis on its security provisions, as well as the risks of engaging Svalbard in a military conflict in the region. Despite the demilitarized status of Svalbard, the evaluation of its role in the hard security situation in the Arctic is hampered by several factors. First, Norway sticks to a narrow interpretation of the Treaty 1920 provision that bans any use of the archipelago for warlike purposes. Norway does not consider such actions as the entry of military ships in Svalbard’s ports, overfly of military aircraft, and some other, contradicting with the Russian position, a violation of the Treaty. Second, the development of technologies, particularly of “dual” use, has posed the question of whether the application of some objects situated on Svalbard by the militaries - primarily the stations of space monitoring - are legitimate. Third, as the political uncertainty in the Arctic rises, Svalbard has been more often involved in the worst-case scenarios for the region - as a place vitally important for Russia and simultaneously representing potential vulnerability for NATO. At the same time, the author argues that the threat of a military conflict over Svalbard is minimal. The international Svalbard agenda is dominated by economic issues, whereas the stakeholders stay aware of the significant risks in case of a military conflict on Svalbard.
Бесплатно
Swedish chairmanship of the Barents Euro-Arctic council 2017-2019: key results and achievements
Статья научная
The Barents Euro-Arctic Region is an integration of states and their administrative divisions, markedly different in terms of population living standards, but with a particular affinity that affords firm ground to consider the region as a separate geopolitical, economic, social and cultural macroregion. The article refers to the practical achievements of the national chairmanship of the Russian Federation in the Council of the Barents Euro-Arctic region; important aspects of the functioning of BEAR as a platform for strengthening of mutual trust and stability, respect for human rights, democratic values and gender equality, support for indigenous peoples, achievements in the fields of trade and economic cooperation, environmental protection, developments in the field of health care, tourism, industrial production, effective international transport links, urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts. The article concentrates on the analysis of key results and achievements of Swedish chairmanship of the Barents Euro-Arctic Council (October 19, 2017 - October 3, 2019), evaluating the current status and prospects for further international cooperation within the framework of the BEAR.
Бесплатно
System problems and directions of municipal development of the Russian Arctic
Статья научная
The subject of the study is the municipalities of the Arctic, their specifics of functioning and development in comparison with the southern regions of the Arctic states. The purpose of the work was to identify problem areas of regional development that affects the socio-economic situation of the Arctic municipalities, prospects, and directions of their development. The theoretical and methodological basis consisted of the works of Russian and foreign scientists on regulating and stimulating the socio-economic development of the territories and municipalities of the Arctic. The study grounds on an integrated approach to the functioning and development of municipalities in the specific conditions of the Arctic, as well as general and specific factors for the growth in the Russian Arctic, considering international research. An analysis of the leading indicators of the socio-economic situation of the Arctic territories showed several common problems for the development of municipalities. The main forces of state regulation should be aimed at solving the issues of human development, social and transport infrastructure and require the approval and state support of the Arctic territories. Government policies to minimize negative processes and factors for the municipalities of the Russian Arctic should base on international experience. Authorities and management can use the results of the study for the development of fiscal, tax, investment policy, programs, and plans for the socio-economic development of the Arctic territories.
Бесплатно
Статья научная
At present, the problem of poverty is urgent for both Russia and Norway. According to Federal State Statistics Service of the Russian Federation, 12.1% of the Russian population was below the poverty line in the second quarter of 2021. According to the World Bank, the national poverty rate in Norway in 2018 was 12.7%. At the same time, both states position themselves as having overcome extreme poverty. Both states use the social-democratic type of the welfare state concept as the basis of social policy. The purpose of this study is to research the influence the welfare state concept application on the national level of poverty in Russia and Norway. The research methods are the analysis of official statistics of Russia, Norway and the World Bank, international reports, legislative acts and the analysis of media texts. The conclusions of this study highlight that the use of the welfare state concept in the Russian Federation and the Kingdom of Norway can positively affect the national level of poverty, but it contains a set of significant risks. The results show that further use of elements of the welfare state concept to combat poverty is possible in both countries, but taking into account the current realities, namely, the application of the principles of multidimensional evaluation, targeting in implementation and consideration of regional specificity in practical work with the phenomenon of poverty, and the involvement of other (besides the state) social institutions in this process. The conclusion of this paper formulates recommendations for state and municipal authorities of the Arctic subjects of the Russian Federation (mainly) and the Kingdom of Norway (to a lesser extent) to adjust the social practices used with regard to current trends and taking into account the identified risks.
Бесплатно
The Northern Sea Route: problems of national status legitimization under international law. Part II
Статья научная
The second part of the paper shows that the regime of navigation in the Arctic, particularly on the NSR, defended by Russia today, is much more liberal than that which existed in the Soviet years: up to the Gorbachev’s 1987 Murmansk speech the Soviet Arctic was a closed sea region for foreign navigation. Permissive order of passage established today at the level of Russian national legislation applies only to civil ships, and in the framework of the 1982 Convention, measures to protect the marine environment from pollution from ships cannot be applied to warships, military auxiliary ships, and ships on the state non-commercial service. However, the presence on the Northern Sea routes of water areas with the status of internal historical waters, including several Arctic straits, plus the special legal status of the Arctic, which is not limited exclusively to the 1982 Convention, allows Russia to insist on the applicability of the permit regime also to foreign warships. This approach is based mainly on the two states’ practice with the longest coastline in the Arctic: the USSR and Canada. Navigation along the NSR in today’s ice conditions is not yet possible without passing through the waters of the Russian Arctic Straits, whose waters are classified by the USSR as internal on historical legal grounds. Although under the 1982 Convention, they can be conditionally regarded as international, the lack of permanent transit through them makes it possible not to recognize them as such. However, the Russian Federation’s task to turn the NSR into an international shipping route may lead to a weakening of the current legal position. A similar situation may arise concerning the enforcement of Article 234 “Ice Covered Areas” of the 1982 Convention, which gives the Arctic countries additional rights in the field of navigation control. Lack of ice cover in the Arctic during most of the year can significantly strengthen the position of Russia’s opponents, who insist on a too broad interpretation of this article on our part. Finally, climatic changes may lead to the NSR becoming more latitudinal, and then the Russian Federation will lose any legal grounds to regulate navigation.
Бесплатно
The Republic of Korea and the Arctic region: from policy formulating to policy making
Статья научная
The following article is a policy review paper devoted to the general analysis of the Arctic policy of the Republic of Korea. The analysis includes the explanation of the country’s demand for conducting its own policy in the Arctic that mostly resides in the peculiarities of South Korea’s geographical position and economic conditions and demands. The policy of South Korea in the Arctic region is highlighted in the three stages: before joining the Arctic Council, during the first master plan for the Arctic, and after the updated Arctic policy was issued. The brief history of the Korea’s participation in the Arctic activities is highlighted. Also, the provisions of Korea’s first master plan for the Arctic are highlighted, and some conclusions are made regarding its implementation. Then the updated Arctic policy of South Korea is examined. The core conclusion is that during 20 year of participation in the Arctic-related activities, the Republic of Korea has transformed its Arctic policy from being research-oriented only to providing national economic benefits from the multilateral inclusion in the Arctic cooperation institutions and events. Some further reflections on Korea’s further Arctic policy are provided at the conclusion.
Бесплатно
Статья научная
The article examines the development and use of the Northern Sea Route (hereinafter: the NSR) during the Soviet era. It also considers various trends in the development of the state transport policy in the world and significant aspects of its assessment. The above-mentioned transport route is significant from a geopolitical point of view. Although the USSR failed to realize the commercial potential of the NSR and its year-round operation, it made significant progress in the development of the NSR to achieve the political and strategic goals of the Soviet Union. The article analyzes the essential aspects of Soviet and Russian transport policy in the XX century. The author argues that transport innovations caused by the energy crises of the 1970s and 1980s and related environmental problems largely bypassed the Soviet economy due to the period of stagnation. The author concludes that if the USSR had kept pace with modern trends in technology and the Soviet Union had not collapsed, the NSR could have become a self-sustaining route and the goal of year-round navigation on the NSR would have been achieved in Soviet times in the 20th century.
Бесплатно
The Svalbard fisheries protection zone: how Russia and Norway manage an Arctic dispute
Статья научная
Svalbard and the maritime zone around this Arctic archipelago are central to Norway-Russia relations. Since 1977, a dispute has concerned Norway's right to exercise jurisdiction over fisheries. What are Russian positions on Norwegian jurisdiction enforcement in the Fisheries Protection Zone (FPZ)? How have perceptions and reactions evolved since the turn of the millennium? Has the deterioration in the bilateral relationship post-2014 sharpened the dispute in the FPZ, and has the risk of conflict increased? We find that 2014 does not appear to be a watershed with respect to relations in the FPZ around Svalbard. After the dramatic arrest of a Russian trawler in 2005, the Russian central authorities switched from protest to relatively conciliatory dialogue - with a marked exception in 2011 related to Russian domestic discord surrounding the 2010 Barents Sea maritime boundary agreement. After 2011, incidents in the FPZ have been handled without further escalation, but the situation is underpinned by various factors that might change. Russia’s policies in the FPZ have been a balancing act: always stressing its official position and insisting that there are limitations to how much Norwegian enforcement can be accepted, while also ensuring that the enforcement regime survives.
Бесплатно
The UK’s interests in the Arctic
Статья научная
The article analyzes the priorities of British policy in the Arctic. The UK has a long tradition of studying the Arctic and is one of the first observer countries of the Arctic Council. At the same time, the Arctic strategy of London has undergone several significant changes, which are a natural reaction to the changing situation in the region. An analysis of the British Foreign Ministry report 2018 reveals four primary areas of the UK's interest in the Arctic. First, the country's economy continues to rely heavily on the hydrocarbon and bioresources of the Arctic. Secondly, after the outbreak of the Ukrainian crisis and in the conditions of deteriorating relations with Moscow, the British authorities have begun to pay more attention to the security, primarily the military one. Third, an important direction of the UK Arctic policy is to solve the problem of climate change since the country considered one of the world leaders in reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Finally, the development of international cooperation in the region based on scientific diplomacy is one of the priorities of British Arctic politics. However, despite the official documents fixing the priorities of the UK’s Arctic strategy, London’s Arctic policy is passive. This fact is a reason for British expert criticism.
Бесплатно
The northern sea route: problems of national status legitimization under international law. Part I
Статья научная
The Northern Sea Route (NSR) for the Russian Federation is a strategically important maritime communication with the status of a historically established national transport artery. Despite its applicability to the Arctic, and therefore to the waters of the NSR, the norms and provisions of the modern international maritime law, and, first of all, the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea 1982 (UNCLOS), Russia declares the important role of the national legislation on the regulation of navigation on the NSR. Such a situation is conditioned by the existing historical practice, the tacit consent of most states, as well as the special environmental vulnerability of the Arctic region and the desire to prevent the marine environment pollution due to the navigation. Among the main opponents of this approach is the USA, which traditionally disputes the unified permitting regime for navigation along the NSR as an example of Russia's extremely broad interpretation of the norms and provisions of UNCLOS. The first part of the paper will show how those legal approaches used by Russia to introduce the national level of the NSR regulation, i.e., the concept of internal historical waters and the method of straight baselines, do not contradict UNCLOS, as they go beyond its limits and are based mostly on customary norms of international law (the so-called international custom) rather than treaties. The U.S. disagreement with such an assertion is discredited by the fact that Washington is not a full party to UNCLOS, and thus cannot fully enjoy all the prerogatives it has introduced.
Бесплатно
Three lives of Norwegian consulate in Arkhangelsk
Статья научная
The article is devoted to the history of the Norwegian Consulate in Arkhangelsk, which began in 1815 and has continued to the present time. The history of the Consulate is analyzed from the standpoint of identifying the fundamental differences in the activities in each of the three periods (lives) of the Consulate. This, in particular, is the novelty of the research. Moreover, the first two lives (1815–1920 and 1924–1939) are presented as a background to a more detailed study of the prerequisites for creation, priorities in work, successes and some failures of the modern one — the third Consulate reopened in Arkhangelsk in 2010 and has the status of “Honorary”. The authors pay attention to the personal factor — the life path of the first and current honorary consul Andrei Alexandrovich Shalev. His activity was mainly discussed in regional mass media and was not subjected to research analysis. Even the actual material about the events held by the Honorary Consulate was not collected and not systematized, although it has relevance, as it concerns the interests of thousands of residents of the region. The authors believe that in this article they only outlined those directions in the study of consulates that deserve attention.
Бесплатно
