Top Arctic stories of the week, 4 -- 8 October 2021

Below is a recap of this week’s posts by Alexander Stotskiy (CEO, Project Office for Arctic Development) analyzing major international, national and regional events and trends in the Arctic.

New bill to open way for a big cleanup in the Russian Arctic

The Government has drafted a bill on environment protection providing for targeted spending of environmental charges collected in Russia. All such payments collected by respective governmental agencies shall be specifically targeted to fund various environmental projects as per a list of priorities, with a major cleanup effort being on top of the list. The bill is expected to be submitted to the Parliament for approval this autumn. Read more…

Rosneft takes steps to improve marketability of Arctic oil

Major oil producer Rosneft has commenced the construction of infrastructure required to launch Vostok Oil, one of Russia’s top drilling projects in the Arctic. In early October, the company announced the start of the construction of berths to be located at three sites on the Yenisei River at Taimyr Peninsula. In addition, work commenced to design the energy supply layout for the project to be developed in an off-grid remote Arctic area. These steps are believed to improve the marketability of the oil drilled in Taimyr. Read more…

President Putin sets priorities for Russia’s climate policy

The Russian President and members of the cabinet discussed national policies on environment and climate. The head of state stressed that steps are to be taken to reduce the economy’s impact on climate while fostering a steady economic growth. New climate-related policies should drive Russia’s technological advancement and stimulate economic development, paving the way toward a safer, more sustainable and more productive future. Read more…

Yamal’s experience in providing support for indigenous population shapes federal policies

Russian authorities will introduce a new, simpler, procedure for applying for the benefits indigenous people are entitled to under law. As per the regulations adopted by the federal government on 4 October 2021, from February next year, such applications will be handled by multifunctional public service centers. A new procedure will make claiming benefits by people of indigenous ancestry much easier than before. The updated procedure has been extensively tested in the Yamal-Nenets Autonomous District prior to adoption at the federal level. Read more…

Arctic agenda updated at a parliamentary question time

A question time on Arctic policies and issues with Deputy Prime Minister Yuri Trutnev was held at the upper chamber of the Russian Parliament. The Vice Premier for the Arctic gave an overview of Russia’s current policies in the region and answered questions asked by Senators. This Government’s key objectives in the Arctic are: stimulating average salary growth, creating new jobs, improving life quality and expectancy, reversing the negative migration trend, and launching city renovations throughout the region. Read more…