Providing security and sustainable development of the Arctic Region, conservation of ecosystems and traditional lifestyles of indigenous peoples of the Arctic

Conference on “Ensuring security and sustainable development of the Arctic Region, the conservation of ecosystems and traditional lifestyles of indigenous peoples of the Arctic”, held on the 16th of September 2015 in Arkhangelsk at the international meeting of representatives of the Member States of the Arctic Council, observer States and international scientific community. Such meeting was held for the fifth time at the initiative of the Russian Security Council. In previous years they were held in Murmansk in Salekhard, Naryan-Mar and aboard the icebreaker “Yamal”. Summing up the conference, Secretary of the Russian Security Council N.P. Patrushev said: “Such conferences are an integral part of the Arctic agenda and fit perfectly in the tradition of good-neighborliness and cooperation, which is essential to human activity in the harsh conditions of the Arctic. It is important that, as in previous years, in Arkhangelsk scientists, experts and polar researchers from 11 countries arrived (Denmark, Iceland, Norway, Russian Federation, United States, Finland and Sweden, as well as India, China, South Korea and Singapore), who have chosen Arctic. Among the participants there were also the leaders of the regions located in the Arctic zone of the Russian Federation, representatives of Russian ministries, departments and leading companies active in the Arctic “[1].

N.P. Patrushev and other participants.

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The participants of the conference with a welcome message addressed by the President of Russia V.V. Putin, he noted: “The Arctic region has considerable reserves of minerals and energy, through the Northern Sea Route — the shortest shipping route connecting Europe with the Far East and Asia-Pacific countries. A natural processes occurring here directly affect the climate and environmental situation on the planet. Russia, nearly a third of the territory of which make up the Far North, bears a special responsibility for the Arctic”[2]. The message has identified three key priority of Russia in the Russian Arctic: 1) ensuring a balance between the active economic activities and the preservation of the unique environment; 2) respect for the culture and traditional way of life of Indigenous Peoples; 3) Strengthening of cooperation with member states of the Arctic Council in all directions. They expressed confidence that the meeting participants will develop practical recommendations that will contribute to overcome the challenges facing the international community in the Arctic region [2].

A total of 43 of the report of the conference was made and messages. They were examined in detail: firstly , topical issues of training qualified personnel for the development of the Arctic and the Arctic global projects; secondly , the consolidation of efforts to preserve the unique ecosystem of the Arctic in the formulation of global resource projects; in third, problems of sustaina- ble development and preservation of the environment, culture, traditions and customs of indigenous peoples.

With keynote on the first issue of the training of specialists for the development of the Arctic and global Arctic projects Acting Rector NArFU N.V. Chicherina. She identified the main problems and challenges which require an adequate response from the academic community and the education system as a whole:

• a)    A comprehensive system of expert-analytical support of the state of scientific and policy-razovatelnoy in the Russian Arctic.

• b)    Monitoring of staffing needs for the development of the Russian Arctic and the Arctic realization of global projects.

• c)    Networking between universities and major employers in the Russian Arctic.

• d)    Competitive educational programs Arctic orientation.

• e)    Support programs, and attracting young professionals to ensure sustainable socio-economic development of the Russian Arctic.

• f)    Modern scientific and educational infrastructure for the implementation of educational programs at different levels.

• g)    High costs of cross-disciplinary research and educational projects in the Arctic region [3].

As a solution to the problem of expert-analytical support of the NArFU proposes to create a monitoring center of scientific and educational environment of the Arctic. His task — analytical support of decision-making on public policy in the Russian science and education in the Arctic region. This should be a structure having the appropriate authority, financially supported by the state. And NArFU already has a number of divisions that provide intellectual development of the Arctic, including Arctic Centre for Strategic Studies, a research office of the University of the Arctic and others. NArFU is the chairman of the Joint Working Group on Education and Science of the Barents Euro-Arctic region and co-coordinator of the Institute of the North measuring [3].

Topical issues of training qualified personnel for the development of the Arctic and global Arctic projects, the development of international scientific cooperation in their speeches touched on the Northern State Medical University Rector L.N. Gorbatova, Rector of Murmansk State Technical University S.A. Agarkov, President of the University of the Arctic L. Kullerud (Norway), Head. the Department of MGIMO (University) A.N. Vilegzhanin, associate professor of the University of Alaska Fairbanks B. Boylan (USA), professor at the University of Tromso — University of the Arctic Norwegian R. Berthelsen (Denmark), President of the “GEKON” M.N. Grigoriev and other participants. Emphasized that knowledge is an important resource of the future is in the Arctic. “I think the future of the Arctic is largely dependent on skilled personnel. In the Arctic, we need peo- ple who will be able to engage in professional activities in different areas, whether it is mining, search and rescue operations, and more. We need young professionals who have a spark of desire, the energy to engage in the creation of new innovative projects. Knowledge — a resource of the future. No minerals, namely knowledge,” — said, for example, the president of the University of the Arctic L. Kullerud [4]. It was noted that training for Arctic projects should take place in close mutually beneficial partnership with potential employers. The partnership should include a request for anticipating training and employment of alumni, targeted recruitment of students, organization of practices in the production, the involvement of employers in the development and implementation of educational programs.

Driver of the Arctic zone, according to M.N. Grigorieva, are major investment projects related to the development of natural resources and the development of transport systems and infrastructure as a whole [5]. NArFU, as the flagship university education in the Russian Arctic, must ensure that the following tasks:

• a)    Creating a system of forecasting economic activity in the regions of influence and within the competence of relevant institutions.

• b)    The evaluation of the model the need for specialists in related disciplines, including personnel for public administration, economics, environment, health and others.

• c)    Coordinate the development of training programs, refresher courses and training for schools and associated colleges. It is obvious that the range of specialized colleges should be reasonably expanded (similar to Severodvinsk branch CNPF).

• d)    To perform as system monitoring, and so the development of training programs, the University has to rely heavily on expert groups consisting of experts of other Universities, academic and branch institutes, so close to and on specific activities, consulting and industrial organizations. These professionals must be involved not only for development, but and of educational programs.

There is no doubts that a number of tasks can and should be resolved through close international cooperation, first of all — a consortium of the University of the Arctic. [5]

Is it time to develop and launch a special interdepartmental Arctic state program targeted training for the leading sectors of the economy, housing, social towns and settlements in the Russian Arctic — the issue is in a crisis remains, in my opinion, open. But no doubt that the training of competent, qualified specialists for the Arctic and the North of Russia requires substantial investments, state support of public-private partnership. Actual preservation of the branch network of leading universities in the Far North; Development of the state program of social support of young scientific and pedagogical staff in the Russian Arctic; Financial support for the development of Arctic expeditions; creation of a network of field research-education-enforcement hospitals universi- ties and research institutes in the islands of the Arctic Ocean, the implementation of other initiatives and proposals.

On the issue of preservation of the unique ecosystem of the Arctic conference participants analyzed the impact of global climate change on the fragile Arctic environment. Speeches Director of the Department of International Cooperation Ministry of Russia N.R. Inamova, Advisor to the President of the Russian Federation A.I. Bedritsky, head of the International Barents Secretariat T. Halberg (Sweden), Ambassador of China in Russia, Li Hui, vice-rector of Korea Maritime Institute Chinsu Lim (Republic of Korea), the chairman of the Arkhangelsk Scientific Center of UB RAS V.I. Pavlenko and others on the subject were reduced to the main point that the Arctic - one of the most vulnerable regions to climate change of the Earth.

Deputy Chairman of the Committee on Natural Resources, Environment and Ecology of the State Duma M.V. Slipenchuk, made a presentation to the discussion of international cooperation in the conservation of ecosystems and protection of the natural environment of the Arctic, said the need for the Centre for the Elimination of the accumulated damage in the Arctic, as well as about the prospects of international public-private consortium for the development of the Northern Sea Route [6] .

The impact of Arctic climate change studied not only in the Arctic countries, but also in India and China. Speakers agreed that today it is necessary to continue to study the effects of the industrial development of the Arctic, its impact on society and on the environment.

The third item on the agenda of the conference discussed the issues of sustainable social development of indigenous peoples. A report on “Preservation of traditional lifestyles and sustainable development of indigenous peoples of the Arctic territories — the foundation of stability in the Arctic” was made by Secretary of State — Deputy Head of the Federal Agency for the Affairs of Nationalities P.V. Semenov.

The key directions of the state policy towards the indigenous peoples of the North, Siberia and the Russian Far East, according to P.V. Semenov, are: 1) preservation of traditional ways of life; 2) increased availability of educational services; 3) modernization of healthcare and medicine; 4) promoting employment; 5) the development of civil society institutions. He highlighted several main directions of federal support.

In discussing the problems of indigenous peoples was attended by Governor of the Nenets Autonomous District I.V. Koshin, First Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) P.N. Alekseev, President of the Association of Indigenous Peoples of the North, Siberia and the Far

East G.P. Ledkov, Director of the Arctic Centre of the University of Umeå P. Shöld (Sweden) and others.

Основные направления федеральной поддержки

• •    Создание^условий^для^устойчивого^ развития^экономики^традиционных^ отраслей^хозяйствования^

• •    Развитие^сферы^образования,^ культуры              и

• медицинского^обслуживания^

• •    Развитие^и^модернизация^ инфраструктуры

и^информационно-коммуникационных ресурсов^

Implementation of large-scale technology projects in the Arctic, including oil and gas, of course, brings its benefits for the local population, such as those associated with an increase in the number of jobs and the improvement of infrastructure and utilities. However, many indigenous peoples of the Arctic continue to rely on traditional methods of farming, which puts them at the mercy of the Arctic ecosystem in matters of food, accommodation and preserve the identity of their culture. Therefore, the challenge facing all Arctic states, is to find ways to develop the Arctic region and at the same time protect the environment, preserve the culture and lifestyles of local people.