Russia's Arctic strategy: development and innovations

Polina Chernitsa

22.02.2013, 16:16

With many countries having their eyes on the Arctic and its rich resources, the region is becoming the intersection of strategic interests and economic ambitions. Countries of the Artic rim should be aware of the worst-case scenario and work closely together to avert it. Experts polled by the Voice of Russia agree that Russia’s new strategy for the development of its Artic territories, which was rubberstamped by President Vladimir Putin this week, is a major step forward along this path.A project of unprecedented scale in Russia’s post-Soviet history, it outlines the key Arctic policy priorities and sets a wide range of tasks from socio-economic development and ecological security to tighter border protection and the expansion of international ties. Those are the ambitious targets that Russia must work towards consistently if it wants to secure its positions in the Arctic. Inland mineral resources are rapidly shrinking and will be fully exhausted in 30-40 years, scientists warn, while hidden beneath the untapped Arctic shelf are vast reserves of hydrocarbons. Melting Arctic seas are making them easier to get at. Sergei Pikin is Director of the Energy Development Fund. Читать далее Source: Voice of Russia.