Sergei Ivanov: Environment thankfully one of few non-politicized themes

Special Representative of the Russian President for Environmental Protection, Ecology, and Transport Sergei Ivanov was asked by a correspondent from the Forumarctica.ru portal whether the theme of the environment is over-politicized in the modern world. Ivanov said the Arctic is an excellent example of how various countries, regardless of their membership in NATO, for example, adopt concerted decisions on environmental and nature protection issues for the benefit of all mankind. Ivanov believes that on an international scale nature management remains “one of the few spheres where there are no foreign political contradictions, thank God”.

“I say that because there are different aspects and approaches to resolving certain international problems. You see this every day. Nature conservation activities remain outside of international contradictions”, he told the Forumarctica.ru portal, the official portal of the International Arctic Forum. “Yesterday in Alexandra Land the president said that he is categorically opposed to a situation where contradictions on international issues carry over to the environment”.

Ivanov noted that if such contradictions as sanctions, for example, were to carry over to nature conservation activities and the environment, “then we would never achieve anything at all”.

“The Arctic is a typical example of how countries that are or are not NATO members can manage to adopt concerted decisions and act jointly for the benefit of all mankind”, Ivanov said.