Arctic videos

Second International Arctic Forum will take place in Arkhangelsk on September 21-24

Second International Arctic Forum will take place in Arkhangelsk on September 21-24

Second International Arctic Forum will take place in Arkhangelsk on September 21-24

A quarter of the world's oil and gas reserves are trapped under the arctic ice. These waters were first explored with Arctic icebreaker ships.

Russian news and information agency RIA Novosti hosted a Moscow-Washington video linkup The Arctic: Directions and Mechanisms of International Cooperation. The event coincided with the 15th anniversary of the establishment of the Arctic Council and the run-up to the second international forum The Arctic: Territory of Dialogue to be held September 22-24.
Climate warming and the melting of ice are opening up new opportunities for access to the natural recourses of the Arctic region. Could the Bering Strait become an important navigable passage? How best to organize environmentally friendly hydrocarbon production? Experts discussed these and many other questions during the Moscow-Washington linkup.
 
Moscow participants:

 - Anton Vasiliev, Russian Foreign Ministry special envoy in the Arctic Council;

 - Boris Nikitin, President of Russia's Academy of Technological Sciences and chair of the Offshore Drilling Dept. at Gubkin Oil and Gas University;

 - Sergey Dobrolyubov, Deputy dan of the Faculty of Geography of Moscow State University, correspondent member of the Russian Academy of Sciences, member of the Russian Geographic Society’s presidium.
 
Washington participants:

 - David Monsma, Eecutive director of the Aspen Institute's Energy and Environment Program;

 - Julie Gourley, Senior U.S. Arctic official, Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs, U.S. Department of State;

 - John Farrell, Executive director of the U.S. Arctic Research Commission.

Arctic ice plays an important role in the climate system. It influences the environment across the globe.

Polar bears in the Russian Arctic are being protected by local polar bear patrols, consisting of volunterers that understand polar bear behavior. Polar bears are the world's largest predator.

During WWII, Germans were making agressive efforts in the Arctic. Since the Arctic is a shortage route connecting Russia's east and west. In addition, humanitartian aid from the allies arrived via the northern sea route.

Speaking at the second international forum “The Arctic– Territory of Dialogue” Prime Minister Vladimir Putin described the future of the Northern Sea Route and the advantages of shipping via the Arctic.

He said this route will considerably reduce shipping times from Europe to East and Southeast Asia.

The second international forum “The Arctic – Territory of Dialogue”, organized by the Russian Geographical Society, is being held in Arkhangelsk on September 22-24. The main topic of the forum is the development of the region’s transportation system. Vladimir Putin is the head of the Russian Geographical Society’s Board of Trustees.

In the Arctic, Russia is interested not only in raw materials but also in the conservation of the environment, stated Russian Natural Resources and Environment Minister Yury Trutnev during the “The Arctic – Territory of Dialogue” forum in Arkhangelsk.

The Northern Sea Route is vital to the region’s economic development, given it will reduce cargo transportation time by almost two weeks - experts.