Safe exploration and biodiversity conservation in the Arctic - ECOARCTIC-2020 forum

Representatives from research institutes and universities, oil companies, regional authorities, nature protection and indigenous peoples organisations from Naryan-Mar, Arkhangelsk, Moscow, Ufa, Krasnoyarsk, Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk (Russia) and Tromsø (Norway) took part in the round table. Alexei Bambulyak, manager Russia at Akvaplan-niva was a moderator of the round-table session and discussions.

At the round table, participants reported results of recent environmental studies carried out in the Russian Arctic regions, including monitoring of selected key Arctic species (ivory gull, walrus, Polar bear, wild reindeer), ecosystem surveys, biomonitoring, bioremediation studies, ecological education and traditional nature use. During the discussion, they also shared views on safe exploration and biodiversity conservation in the Arctic, and need in continuous dialogue and cooperation.

The forum was organized by the Reindeers Union of the Nenets Autonomous Okrug with the support of the Administration of the Nenets Autonomous Okrug, Russia. RN-Shelf-Arctic, a daughter company of Rosneft, was a title-sponsor of the forum.

ECOARCTIC forum is held in Russian northern regions since 2017. Nenets region hosted the forum the second time, this year the round-table was held as webinar. Akvaplan-niva took part also in the previous forum held in Naryan-Mar in March 2019.

Arctic research and environmental risk assessment of industrial activities are among main activities of Akvaplan-niva. We have 30-years experience of cooperation with Russian research institutes and universities, authorities, industry, environmental NGOs on implementation of the projects in Arctic regions, including the Nenets okrug and Pechora Sea. We aim at continuation and development of this cooperation.

Press-release of the Department of Nature Resources, Ecology and Agriculture of the Nenets Autonomous Okrug http://dprea.adm-nao.ru/press-centr/news/25850/