The VII International Forum "Arctic: Today and the Future" was held in St. Petersburg on December 4-6, 2017.
The organizer of the Forum is the Interregional Public Organization "Association of Polar Explorers" (ASPOL), headed by the President of APPOL Artur Chilingarov, Special Representative of the President of the Russian Federation on International Cooperation in the Arctic and Antarctic.
The forum was held with the support of the State Commission for the Development of the Arctic and gathered 1600 participants from 37 regions of Russia and 17 countries.
The Forum was attended by members of the Russian Parliament - 10 members of the Federation Council, including Chairman of the Committee on Constitutional Legislation and State Building Andrei Klishas and Chairman of the Arctic and Antarctic Council under the Federation Council Vyacheslav Shtyrov, and 15 State Duma deputies from 9 Committees of the lower house, among them are: Chairman of the Committee for Regional Policy and Problems of the North and the Far East Nikolai Kharitonov; Chairman of the Committee on Ecology and Environmental Protection Vladimir Burmatov.
Representatives of business, science, non-commercial and public organizations actively participated in the work of the Forum.
The main topics of the Forum were development of the support zones in the Arctic and the social and economic development of the polar territories.
Within the framework of the Plenary Session "Support Zones: Regional Models and the Role of the State", the readiness of the Arctic regions for launching and functioning of support zones, as well as mechanisms for interaction with federal and regional authorities in this process, were discussed.
Within the framework of the Forum under auspices of the Deputy Chairman of the Government of the Russian Federation, a meeting of the State Commission for the Development of the Arctic was held. The course of implementation of the Russian state policy in the Arctic in 2017, the formation of a waste management system, measures of state policy in the field of scientific research, and the development of investment projects in the mining and metallurgical industry were discussed. Representatives of the Ministry of Economic Development of the Russian Federation, the Ministry of Natural Resources of the Russian Federation, the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation and the PJSC MMC "Norilsk Nickel " have made reports.
A meeting of the Interdepartmental Working Group of the Ministry of Industry and Trade on issues of import substitution in the fuel and energy complex was held at the platform of the forum.
Within the framework of the Forum, a number of agreements on cooperation with the Association of Polar Explorers were signed. They are aimed at implementing the main aspects of the state policy of the Russian Federation in the Arctic, improving legislation, ensuring favorable living conditions, implementing investment projects, as well as scientific, social, historical, cultural, environmental, recreational programs in the Far North and the Arctic, developing Arctic tourism.
Agreements on cooperation with ASPOL have been signed by 7 Arctic regions of the Russian Federation: the Murmansk Region, the Arkhangelsk Region, the Nenets Autonomous District, the Chukotka Autonomous District, the Yamal-Nenets Autonomous District, the Republic of Karelia, the Komi Republic, and the Arctic Law Center, the Siberian Scientific Analytical Center, Association of Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Arctic regions of Russia.
In support of the Forum participants’ agenda, an exhibition was organized. Technological solutions for the development of the Arctic zone of the Russian Federation were presented at its stands. The theme of the cultural and historical heritage of the Arctic was supported by exhibits of the original culture of the small peoples of the Far North and the Far East, as well as thematic photographic materials.
The main partners of the VII International Forum were: VTB Bank PJSC, PJSC MMC Norilsk Nickel, Gazprom Neft PJSC, "Almaz – Antey" Air and Space Defence Corporation JSC, NOVATEK PJSC, Mezhregiontruboprovodstroy JSC.
Information support for the forum as General Partners was provided by the leading news agencies - MIA "Russia Today" and TASS.
The proposals and initiatives of the forum are included in the "Final Public Resolution on the Social and Economic Development of the Arctic Zone of the Russian Federation", which was sent to the State Commission for Arctic Development, profile ministries and departments and other interested bodies.