Arctic: nanotechnology, military-industrial complex, Investment, national idea

February 24, 2015: Moscow hosted the II International Investment Arctic Development Summit “Nanotechnology, the military-industrial complex, investments and the Arctic, as a national idea”. The main objective of the Summit-2015 was announced: the attention of top management to the Arctic sector investment and the development of nano-biological engineering, information and communication technology, fuel and energy and raw material base of the Arctic zone, practical solutions for the issues of financial and industrial origin, scientific and intellectual investments for the potential of the Arctic cluster.

The Summit-2015 program was planned as very extensive and contained following topics:

V Specific investment instruments of the Arctic regions.

V Structuring the business environment and state support of the development of the Arctic region.

V Investment in nanotechnology, biological engineering, information and communication technologies, fuel, energy and raw materials sector of the Arctic regions.

V Implementation of nanotechnology for the extraction and processing of raw materials.

V Structuring banking programs and state projects in the Arctic.

V Real fisheries sector of the Arctic regions (Barents and Bering Seas).

V New energy sources and energy efficiency in the Arctic.

V The Northern Sea Route as a national idea and the engine of the military industrial complex of Russia.

• V    The creation of leading industrial areas in the Arctic.

V The individual technical solutions and complex “turnkey” objects.

• V    Software upgrades to support NTRP programs in the Arctic.

• V    Seismic protection.

• V    Construction of ports in the Arctic regions.

• V    Air transportation in the Far North.

• V    Life-supporting technologies for the North 1 .

The work of the Summit was built on holding three working sessions: “Investments in nano, engineering, communication technologies, fuel and energy and the primary sector of the Arctic regions”, “Northern Sea Route as a national idea and the engine of Russian military-industrial complex”, “International experience and infrastructure development of the Arctic”.

Among the participants of the plenary session of the Summit presented their reports: Assistant Director-General of FSUE “Atomflot” Stanislav Golovin; advisor of the Governor of the Arkhangelsk region Lev Levit, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Russian Federation, Chief editor of the international journal “Arkticheskie Vedomosti” Alexander Ignatyev, president of the Arctic Public Academy of Sciences Valery Mitko, Deputy General Director of “Lyotno-issledovatel'skij centr aviacii special'nogo naznacheniya ”Vadim Oleynikov and others. Special guests of the Arctic Summit in 2015 are: Chairman of the National Assembly of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) Alexander Zhirkov, Deputy Governor of the Yamal-Nenets Autonomous District Alexei Bulaev, the main consultant of the Permanent Representation of the Krasnoyarsk region under the Government of the Russian Federation Aleksandr Rodionov, Deputy Minister of Industry and construction of the Arkhangelsk Region Alexei Rastoropov, first secretary of the Embassy of Canada on international issues cooperation in the Arctic Manuel Mulas, Attache for Science and Technology of the Embassy of France in Russia Balazar Michel, Chairman of the Commission on Urban Affairs of the Norilsk City Council of Deputies Alexander Pestryakov, Head of the Department for development of the sectors of economy Minestry of economic development of the Russian Federation Sergey Sevruk and the others 2.

Industry leaders discussed the issues of economic management, the transition from research ideas to mass production, the urgency of creating a bank of ideas and technology issues for the real sector from order to delivery, as well as the problem of financing in connection with sanctions against Russia3.

Picture 1. Round table discussion. Photo: Press-center of the Investment Arctic development Summit

Among the representatives of business community the expert opinion on investment and development of real sector of aviation icebreaker’s construction, alternative energy and communications was expressed by the general director of the JSC “Transport” Nikolay Veselov, head of SKB-300 TSNPO “Leninets” Dmitry Gavrilov, chief designer of aircraft engines IPO "OVS" NP "ROSAVIATSENTR" Alexander Harmai, General Director of “Interaviagaz” Vyacheslav Zaitsev, General Director.

Theme of the issues proposed for discussion was very urgent and it had drawn attention to this summit. Moreover, the Arctic was positioning as a national idea, and we had to go on with the most urgent problems of development of the Arctic region, technologies of the sixth technological order, MIC and investments. The scientific potential of the Summit included the development projects and dozens of institutions and organizations represented4. In my opinion the theme of the Summit was formulated too broadly and was not adequately covered in media. Some questions remain unanswered: how real were declared nanotechnology for the Arctic? Where is it possible to get investments in crisis and sanctions against Russia? What is understood by the national Arctic ideas? Is it even possible to consider the Northern Sea Route the national idea and the engine for the development of the Russian MIC? Discussion on urgent problems of the socio-economic development of the Russian Arctic could be undoubtedly continued in order to clear the vision of those tasks that still have to be solved by our state, business and society in the high northern latitudes of the circumpolar space.

A positive result of the summit is undoubtedly the fact that it was followed up by concrete proposals to the federal bodies. President of the Arctic Public Academy of Sciences V.B. Mitko, for example, addressed his proposals D.O. Rogozin including the concept of the Arctic organization of the Russian Federation (AORF) as an instrument for implementation of the Russian Arctic doctrine. In order to implement its Arctic policy, Russia should establish an Arctic organization, including special facilities, organizations and institutions aimed at imple-menting the Arctic policy according to the Constitution of the Russian Federation, federal laws and other legal acts of the Russian Federation.

The NSR is not just a means of transport, but a symbol of Euroasian unity of the Russian Federation. Decades of discussions on profitability of the route are groundless from the stand point of geopolicy that defines the arctic mission of Russia. Evolution of geopolitical situation led to the present situation of extreme significance of the Russian economic activity in the Arctic, so clearly understood by our predecessors”. [URL: ].

President of the Arctic Public Academy of Sciences, Chairman of the St. Petersburg branch of the Sectionfor Geopolitics and Security of the RANS Valeriy Mitko.

Factors affecting the establishment and functioning of AORF (Arctic Organization of the

Russian Federation, V.B. Mitko) are presented in the figure.

Criteria of Quality

Social and economic significance

EU Arctic Doctrine (Northern Dimension)

Arctic Doctrine of Canada (Northern dimension of the foreign policy of Canada)

Arctic doctrine of Russia: Foundations of the State Policy… 18.09.2008, № Pr-1969

RFAZ Development strategy…approved by the RF President on 06.02.2013

UN CLOS, 1982 Transnational corporations

Factors

Geopolitical (major — 10)

Factors

Structural

Status of the Arctic and righs of the Russian Federation.

Spatial reorientation of Russia.

New ecomonic aims.

Resource extraction perspectives.

Use of bioresirces.

Ecological policy, environmental security. Food security issues, environmental damage caused by industry.

Social and economic problems, cultural development, intellectual potential.

Establishement of the Arctic organization of Russia aimed at implementation of the Arctic doctrine of the Russian Federation 1. Suggestions for the claster project.

• 2.    Development of the claster projects.

• 3.    Training specialists.

• 4.    Training materials.

• 5.    Joined effords (ordered structures for interaction).