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Second International Arctic Forum in Arkhangelsk “The Arctic – Territory of Dialogue”

On September 21-24 Arkhangelsk will play host to the Second International Arctic Forum in Arkhangelsk “The Arctic – Territory of Dialogue” organized by the Russian Geographical Society (RGS). We are inviting scientists, experts, prominent public and political figures, and representatives of Arctic Council member and observer countries to join us in a dialogue on Arctic issues for the second time.
The first forum, held last year, was a great success. It was attended by Prime Minister and Chairman of the RGS Board of Trustees Vladimir Putin, Emergencies Minister and RGS President Sergei Shoigu, President of Iceland Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson, Prince Albert II of Monaco, and more than 300 researchers and experts from different countries. 
“The forum last year confirmed the need to establish in Russia, the largest Arctic nation, a prestigious international venue for discussing Arctic problems,” Shoigu said. “Now that it is done we’ll thoroughly evaluate the prospects for international cooperation in the region.”
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.
Up to 400 leading scientists and experts, politicians, heads of subarctic countries and representatives of major Russian, American, Canadian and Scandinavian private companies are expected to attend the forum. High-ranking figures from different countries interested in the region’s peaceful and sustainable development have also been invited to participate.

The Second International Arctic forum, “The Arctic – Territory of Dialogue,” met in Arkhangelsk on September 22-23, 2011. The forum has been sponsored by the Russian Geographical Society and backed by Vladimir Putin, Chairman of the Society’s board of trustees.


The forum was a success, said Sergei Shoigu, President of the Russian Geographical Society. Over 450 scientists, politicians and reporters from Russia, the United States, Canada, Norway, Denmark, Iceland, China, Japan and many other countries took part in the conference. This broad interest, as well as the quality of discussion, Shoigu said, pointed to growing attention to Arctic issues as part of international cooperation.


The RGS President, Mr. Shoigu, said that forum decisions were already being implemented. In the aftermath of debates at the first forum, for example, a general clean-up of the Arctic is now proceeding to remove industrial waste and rubbish that has piled up over years.


Following the discussion on the present state of and future prospects for the Arctic fleet, the Russian government has decided to build three nuclear and three diesel-electric icebreakers for use on the Northern Sea Route.
The establishment of ten emergency rescue centers in different sectors of Russia’s Arctic, to be built by the Russian Ministry of Civil Defense, Emergencies and Disaster Relief, will contribute to the region’s safety and security, Shoigu believes.


The RGS President said development of an Arctic transport system as a fundamental factor of Arctic strategy was the forum’s main focus. The discussion covered many areas, including aerospace facilities to ensure transport safety, overall security and safety, early emergency warning, environmental protection to meet the challenges of the Arctic transport system, preservation of the lifestyle of the indigenous peoples of the north, and other issues. Specific recommendations were adopted following the discussions.


One of them is to establish a Russian Academy of Sciences’ Arctic Research Center in the Arkhangelsk Region, focused on interdisciplinary studies of the Arctic to give a fresh boost to science in the North.


Gustaf Lind, Chairman of the Arctic Council, urged the Arctic countries to limit their discharge of soot, a key Arctic greenhouse agent, in an effort to further lower the man-made burden on climate. Forum participants also approved Russia’s intention to adopt a law on the Northern Sea Route to regulate shipping through the route.


It has become a tradition for a university to host this forum. The first forum was held at Moscow State University. In the year marking the 300th birthday of Mikhail Lomonosov, it was Northern (Arctic) Federal University, one of the leading universities of the Russian North, that welcomed forum participants.


Arctic research has been one of the main activities at the RGS over the more than 165 years of its existence and will remain so in the future. In the view of Prime Minister Vladimir Putin and the other forum participants, the next meeting should focus on environmental protection in the Arctic.

Agenda

September 22


9 a.m. – 10 a.m. Registration
10 a.m. – 11 a.m. Plenary session. Development of the Arctic dialogue: Progress and new challenges.
Chair: Sergei Shoigu, President of the Russian Geographical Society
Speakers:
•    Opening remarks by Sergei Shoigu, President of the Russian Geographical Society
•    Nikolai Laverov, Vice-President of the Russian Academy of Sciences
•    Lawson W. Brigham, Professor, University of Alaska Fairbanks, U.S. Arctic Research Commission
•    Ilya Mikhalchuk, Governor of the Arkhangelsk Region
•    Viktor Sadovnichy, Rector of Moscow State University


11 a.m.-12 p.m. Session 1. The Arctic transport system as a fundamental factor in Arctic regional development.
Moderators:
    Viktor OLERSKY, Deputy Transport Minister of the Russian Federation
    Lawson W. BRIGHAM, Professor, University of Alaska Fairbanks, U.S. Arctic Research Commission
1.1.    Development of the Arctic maritime shipping.
The main challenges with and the prospects for maritime shipping along the Northern Sea Route and the Northwest Passage, as major transport lines of the 21st century; development of freight base for shipping.
Speakers:
•    Sergei FRANK, General Director of Sovkomflot
•    Michael BYERS, University of British Columbia, “The Arctic straits: the Northwest Passage and the Norhern Sea Route: compatibility of Russian and Canadian legal and national interests”
•    Vsevolod PERESYPKIN, General Director of the Central Marine Research, Design and Technology Institute – “Development of the Northern Sea Route” (or Alexander Davydenko – “The Northern Sea Route: A comprehensive infrastructure project”)
•    Henrik FALCK, TSCHUDI Shipping Company, project manager for Eastern Europe (Norway)
Discussion (up to 5 minutes per speaker)


12 p.m.-12.30 p.m. Coffee break
12.30 p.m.-2 p.m. Session 1 continued
1.2. Transport corridors and transport hubs in the Arctic
The Belkomur Project as a component of the Northern Transportation Corridor; the Skovorodino-Yakutsk-Tiksi corridor; similar projects outside Russia. Development prospects for the Arctic transport hubs (Murmansk, Arkhangelsk, Port Pevek).
Speakers:
•    Oleg CHIRKUNOV, Governor of the Perm Territory, “The Belkomur Project”
•    Olav HAUGE, project manager for the Northern Maritime Corridor, Norway. “Logistic transport hubs in the Far North”
•    Alexander VIKTOROV, Deputy Minister of Regional Development. “Modernization of the Arctic Transport System”
Discussion (up to 5 minutes per speaker)


2.30 p.m.-3 p.m. Lunch
3 p.m.-4.30 p.m. Plenary session. Chair: Sergei SHOIGU, President of the Russian Geographical Society
Speakers:

•  Vladimir Putin, Prime Minister of the Russian Federation

•  Prince Albert II of Monaco

•  Olafur Ragnar GRIMSSON, President of Iceland

•  Gustav Lind, Chairman of the Arctic Council



4.30 p.m.-5 p.m. Coffee break
5 p.m.-6.30 p.m. Session 2
Overall safety and security, prevention of emergencies, and environment protection in the context of the Arctic transport system development.
Moderators:
    Alexander CHUPRIYAN, Deputy Minister of Civil Defense, Emergencies and Disaster Relief of the Russian Federation
    Mead TREADWELL, Lieutenant Governor of Alaska
2.1. Aerospace equipment for safe navigation in the Arctic seas.
Speakers:
•    Denis PASHKOV, Minister of Industry and Energy of the Krasnoyarsk Territory, “Northern Air Bridge”
•    Jacki RICHARDS, Iridium Communications Inc, Director Global Distributions
•    Vladimir POPOVKIN, Head of the Federal Space Agency
•    Nikolai SEVASTYANOV, General Designer of Gazprom Space Systems. “An analysis of the possibility of using radar space surveying data to assess the ice situation in the Arctic region”
Discussion (up to 5 minutes per speaker)


7 p.m.-9 p.m. Gala dinner given by the Russian Geographical Society to celebrate the opening of the Forum. The Arkhangelsk State Drama Theater named after M.V. Lomonosov


September 23


9 a.m.-11 a.m. Session 2 continued
Moderators:
    Alexander CHUPRIYAN, Deputy Minister of Civil Defense, Emergencies and Disaster Relief of the Russian Federation
    Mead TREADWELL, Lieutenant Governor of Alaska


2.2. Development of early warning and management systems for emergency situations in the Arctic; prospects for bilateral and multilateral cooperation.
Creation and development of comprehensive systems of safety and security, including the security of large transport and industrial facilities. Monitoring system for major accident risks. Notification of the population. Interdepartmental information cooperation. Development of a system for comprehensive emergency rescue centers in the Arctic. Multilateral and unilateral cooperation: planning, drills and training, exchange of experience and education.
Speakers:
•    Igor VESELOV, Deputy Director of the International Department of the Ministry of Civil Defense, Emergencies and Disaster Relief of the Russian Federation
•    Ole BJERKEMO, Norwegian Coastal Administration, Deputy Chairman of the Emergency Prevention, Preparedness and Response Working Group, the Arctic Council
•    Peter COLTERMANN, “Assessing natural risks on the Arctic coast”
Discussion (up to 5 minutes per speaker)
2.3. Cooperation agreement on sea and air search and rescue operations in the Arctic, as the basis for the international safety and security system.
Speakers:
•    Anton VASILYEV, Ambassador at Large, Russian representative to the Arctic Council
•    Timo VIITANEN, Director of International Affairs, Finnish Ministry of the Interior
Discussion (up to 5 minutes per speaker)


11 a.m.-11.30 a.m. Coffee break
11.30 a.m.-1 p.m. Session 2 continued
2.4. Hydrometeorological and navigational support for the Arctic transport system
Speakers:
•    Ivan FROLOV, Director of the Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute. “The hydrological safety of marine activity in the Arctic”
•    Oystein HOV, research director at the Norwegian Meteorological Institute
•    Jarle AARBAKKE, Rector at the University of Tromso, Professor. “Distance methods, safe navigation and security in the high-latitude Arctic. From research to business”
Discussion (up to 5 minutes per speaker)


1 p.m.-2 p.m. Lunch

2 p.m.-3.40 p.m. Session 3. Environmental protection in the context of the Arctic transport system development.
Moderators:
    Yelena KUDRYASHOVA, Rector of Northern (Arctic) Federal University
    Olav ORHEIM, Chair of the IPY Oslo Science Conference Steering Committee

3.1. International cooperation on sustainable environment management in the Arctic
Partnership between the Russian Federation, international organizations and financial institutions (GEF, UNEP, IBRD, EBRD, NEFCO etc.) to support sustainable environment management in the Arctic in the rapidly changing climate. Discussion of priority environmental projects, and financial arrangements for their implementation (presentation by a representative of the Ministry of Economic Development of the Russian Federation)
Speakers:
•    Boris MORGUNOV, aide to the Minister of Economic Development
•    Achim STEINER, Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP)
•    Viktoria VLASOVA, aide to the Minister of Regional Development, “International and national financial arrangements to ensure comprehensive safety and security in the Arctic”
•    Magnus RYSTEDT, Managing Director of the Nordic Environment Finance Corporation (NEFCO). “A tool to support the Arctic Council’s projects: New financial arrangement to increase efficiency of environmental cooperation in the Arctic”
Discussion (up to 5 minutes per speaker)

3.2. Environmental safety in extraction and transportation of hydrocarbons at the Arctic shelf
International experience in environmental management of off-shore extraction and transportation of hydrocarbons. Managing oil spills in ice-covered seas.
Speakers:
•    Nikolai TARANTIN, head of emergency rescue operations at the State Marine Rescue Service (Gosmorspasssluzhba) of Russia. “Problems of managing oil spills in ice-covered seas”
•    Jeremy HUCK, BP Russia President
•    Yevgeny SHVARTS, WWF – Russia Director for nature protection policy
•    Eduard KHUDAINATOV, CEO of Rosneft
Discussion (up to 5 minutes per speaker)

3.40 p.m.-4 p.m. Coffee break
4 p.m.-5 p.m. Session 3 continued
3.3. Environmental protection and preservation of northern indigenous peoples’ traditional lifestyle
Speakers:
•    Roman KOPIN, Governor of the Chukotka Autonomous Area
•    Lars KULLERUD, President of the University of the Arctic, Norway
•    Pavel SULYANDZIGA, Chairman of the Working Group on the Development of Remote Areas in the North, Siberia and the Far East, the Public Chamber of the Russian Federation. “Possibilities for socio-economic development of indigenous ethnic minorities in the context of climate change and industrial development of the Arctic”
Discussion (up to 5 minutes per speaker)

5 p.m.-6.30 p.m. Closing session
Chair: Nikolai Kasimov, First Vice-President of the Russian Geographical Society (Russia)
•    Presentations by previous sessions’ chairs (3 speakers)
•    Artur Chilingarov, First Vice-President of the Russian Geographical Society “The international polar decade: A new aspect of Arctic cooperation”
•    Vladimir Kotlyakov, Honorary President of the Russian Geographical Society, “Results of the International Polar Year 2007-2008”


Closing remarks by Artur Chilingarov, First Vice-President of the Russian Geographical Society

For additional information about the forum, please contact us

e-mail: arctic@rian.ru 

phone: + 7 (495) 645 66 23