Business programme 2025

Modern achievements in the Arctic have been made possible by the 500-year history of the Northern Sea Route. Throughout this history, Russia has led the way in the discovery, exploration, and development of both the route and the Arctic as a whole. Expanding the capabilities of the Northern Sea Route remains one of the state’s key priorities. Russia is creating a global transport corridor that can unlock the potential of the challenging Arctic territories. Cooperation with Southeast Asian countries, India, and the Persian Gulf in this endeavour is opening new opportunities and strengthening trade and logistics ties. The development of the Northern Sea Route involves the formation of a new economic model, the expansion of the Arctic icebreaker and cargo fleets, and ensuring year-round navigation along the route. What are the key aspects of this new economic model? What are the prospects for the Northern Sea Route, and how can they be utilized? How can logistics within the route’s waters be made more predictable and efficient? What directions and mechanisms of international cooperation will drive the development of the Northern Sea Route?

The emergence of the Northern Sea Route, possibly the last of today’s major logistical corridors, was predicted half a millennium ago, in 1525, by Russian diplomat Dmitry Gerasimov. His hypothesis about the possibility of a maritime passage from Europe to China along Russia’s northern coast laid the groundwork for the first map of the NSR. Ultimately, charting a route through the Arctic seas proved as challenging as reaching space. To ensure the uninterrupted transport of goods through the northern waters, Russia built the world’s only fleet of nuclear icebreakers. In the 21st century, the Northern Sea Route is not only a strategically vital national transport artery connecting the country’s Arctic regions but also a unique logistical corridor attracting growing international interest. What discoveries and achievements have contributed to the development of the NSR, and what is its primary driver today? How does the route impact the standard of living in Arctic regions? What makes its strategic and geopolitical significance unique? In which industries is the NSR becoming a catalyst for technological innovation? And what does the future hold for the Northern Sea Route?

The development of Russia’s Arctic zone remains one of the country’s top strategic objectives. Given the new challenges and limited resources, it is crucial to identify priority areas for the region’s sustainable socioeconomic development, balance the interests of the state, business, and society, and reconceptualize international cooperation. During the panel discussion, leading experts and representatives of the federal authorities, major corporations, and development institutions will discuss key issues concerning the implementation of the Arctic development strategy, evaluate key initiatives, and propose practical solutions for the effective development of the region. What results have been achieved in the first stage of implementing the strategy for Russia’s Arctic zone? Which industries are expected to become the main drivers of Arctic development in the coming years? How can we balance the interests of the state, business, and the population when developing the Arctic? What strategic initiatives deserve priority attention? How can we ensure the sustainable development of the region given budget constraints? What role does the Arctic play for Russia and the international community? What aspects of international cooperation should be taken into account when formulating a strategy?

The Russian Arctic is a strategically important region where numerous investment projects of various scales are being implemented in a wide range of industries. Many of them receive state support in the form of administrative preferences and tax breaks as part of the preferential regimes that exist in the Arctic Zone of the Russian Federation (AZRF) and advanced special economic zones (ASEZ). The federal law on state support for entrepreneurship in the AZRF was adopted on 13 July 2020 and has been providing assistance to new investment projects. Over the almost five years that have passed since then, more than 900 companies have become residents of the AZRF. The ASEZ regime is also in effect in the Arctic in the Murmansk and Arkhangelsk Regions, as well as the Chukotka Autonomous District. How can we assess the work of the preferential regimes over these five years? What new solutions could be applied in the Arctic to create new enterprises and maintain the capacity of existing ones? What tools will truly help strengthen and develop business in the harsh conditions of the North?

Russia’s Arctic zone is a strategically vital economic region. The development of the Russian Arctic is mainly driven by the utilization of its mineral and raw material potential, including its extensive resources of hydrocarbon raw materials, ores, and coal. What are some of the key issues that must be resolved for the integrated development of deposits, including the need to develop and introduce advanced technologies for sustainable subsoil use that will ensure the maximum efficiency of extraction as well as environmental safety? What is essential to creating effective infrastructure for the implementation of major investment projects? The development of new logistics arrangements is becoming a critical factor in ensuring the timely delivery of resources and the economic efficiency of projects. What is the most important condition for attracting investors and ensuring the sustainable socioeconomic development of the Arctic?

Russia has tremendous infrastructure and natural resources to develop the Arctic as a tourist destination: the northern lights, the way of life of the Indigenous peoples of the North, the longest ski season in the world, the resources of industrial giants, and, of course, the Northern Sea Route. However, tourist trips to the Arctic only make up 5% of overall tourism in the country. Russia has declared 2025 the Year of Arctic Tourism in an effort to draw attention to industrial development beyond the Arctic Circle. What types of tourism could be most successfully improved in the region and what economic effect could they generate? What are some of the challenges of Arctic tourism? To what extent do new planning approaches in the tourism industry take into account an integrated approach to the development of Arctic territories and aim to preserve the fragile ecosystem and ensure the socioeconomic development of the Arctic regions? What do Arctic tourists need? How will government measures to support tourism affect the development of the Arctic? What steps are needed to improve the tourism industry? What role does tourism play in diversifying the economies of cities where major industrial companies are present? Can the Northern Sea Route and cruise tourism in Russia’s Arctic zone successfully compete with other international cruise lines in the Arctic? What new locations could become new growth points for the Arctic tourism industry?

The Arctic region is a land of extreme climate and unique conditions, shaping the nature of entrepreneurship. Only brands that adapt to these harsh environments thrive, drawing inspiration from the North’s distinctive culture and natural wealth. The Russian government, development institutions, and regional authorities are actively implementing special support measures for small and medium-sized businesses in the Arctic. These initiatives include training programmes and consultancy support aimed at improving the region’s business climate. The goal is to stimulate entrepreneurship, create jobs, and ensure the sustainable economic development of Arctic territories. How can businesses effectively scale and expand Arctic brands? What unique characteristics help them stand out and attract customers? And how can a platform-based economy support their promotion in the domestic market while addressing its specific challenges?

The Northern Sea Route, the main artery of the Arctic, plays a crucial role in the development of key settlements. But what is life like in these communities, from regional governors to small-town leaders, from business representatives to development institutions that lay the groundwork for enterprises both large and small? How effective are strategic initiatives aimed at improving living and business conditions while accounting for the Arctic’s unique climate? How will the master plans developed for key settlements contribute to the macroregion’s growth? And to what extent do these initiatives align with the priorities of the people who live and work there?

Russia’s federal law on northern supply chains came into force one year ago. The strategic goal of the new law is to reduce the cost of essential goods for the population. The northern territories that are receiving such supplies experience extremely difficult natural and climatic conditions. Multi-stage logistics results in long delivery times, the risk of supply disruptions, and increased prices for goods delivered to the north. Moreover, in the current economic conditions, the cost of debt financing has increased substantially, which also leads to higher prices for essential goods. What state support measures are needed to reduce the costs of purchasing and delivering goods to the north? Are budget-funded loans currently being provided? Are there plans to introduce preferential tariffs in the northern territories where such goods are delivered? What areas need to be optimized for supply logistics? How will this affect the speed and cost of delivery?

Even though projects in the Russian Arctic have a major impact on the global economy, they also pose potential risks for fragile ecosystems and vulnerable communities, in particular Indigenous peoples who live in harsh natural and climatic conditions, while preserving and leading traditional lifestyles and economic activities. This requires the introduction of special systemic measures to protect the native habitat of such peoples. To prevent these risks, an open and honest dialogue is needed between all stakeholders – government bodies, industrial companies, and associations of Indigenous peoples. An effective solution would be to harmonize the mandatory and voluntary measures taken by the authorities and businesses to ensure environmental safety and the sustainable development of Indigenous peoples.

Russia’s Arctic zone is a unique territory that has a combination of natural resources, economic potential, and amazing, strong-willed people. Fortitude is one of the key features that distinguishes graduates and cadets of the Muravyov-Amursky 2030 civil service management training programme. The discussion will primarily focus on the problem of recruiting, training, and retaining highly-skilled professionals in areas that have harsh climates and are far away from large urban centres. The session participants will discuss the approaches used by regional management when ready-made solutions cannot be applied and examine modern challenge management training methods and programmes, as well as advanced tools and time-tested methods that have proven their effectiveness. They will pay special attention to the approaches and applied tools used in educational programmes that combine deep regional immersion with growth in professional and personal skills. How can we develop intellectual and complex types of digital activities based on raw materials? How can we attract skilled professionals to the Arctic zone and create a generation of managers who are capable of solving problems instead of just eliminating symptoms? How can we adopt and transform Russian management experience based on the specifics of these territories? Considering that the stable development of human capital is the key to the future of the region, the discussion about training young specialists to work in situations of uncertainty is one of the most pressing topics of the session.

The Arctic is a unique region that has been attracting more and more attention from the international community in recent years. Climate change is opening up new opportunities for the development of this hard-to-reach region of the planet, also known as the land of white silence. The growing interest in the Arctic is due to a complex set of geopolitical, economic, environmental, cultural, and other factors. The Arctic is taking on greater strategic, economic, resource, environmental, transport, and logistics importance. From its remote location on the globe, the Arctic is gradually turning into a centre of attraction with which many countries link their future development. Revived interest in the Arctic is clearly being seen among Asian countries, which have had sustainable economic growth in recent decades. During the session, the participants will discuss key aspects of international cooperation, including the development of the Northern Sea Route as a global transport artery, as well as how to attract foreign investment for Arctic projects and strengthen partnerships with non-Arctic countries to implement joint initiatives. How is transport infrastructure developing in the Arctic? Which investment projects are most in demand within Russia’s Arctic zone? What kind of international research centres are being built in the Arctic? What measures are being taken to preserve the region’s ecosystem and develop educational and cultural exchanges? How can we unlock the potential of Arctic tourism?

Amidst the new geopolitical and economic challenges, the Arctic’s importance as a macro-region of the future is growing. Effective international communication is crucial to maintaining peace and stability in the northern latitudes, ensuring a high quality of life, and protecting the region’s unique ecosystem. To this end, key goals include attracting young people, professionals, and responsible businesses to the Arctic, launching research projects and cultural programmes, and involving the global community in solving the environmental challenges of the Arctic that affect the entire planet. With new foundations for international public and business life taking shape, now is the time to promote and advance the potential of the Arctic by disseminating and exchanging knowledge, implementing educational programmes, and engaging in humanitarian cooperation with a priority focus on creating opportunities for people to realize their potential and a human-centred approach to the development of the macro-region. What are some of the existing mechanisms for humanitarian cooperation and the implementation of joint international projects in the Arctic? How is knowledge about the Arctic disseminated today? What information about the Arctic do people need most of all? What projects in culture, education, science, the creative industries, tourism, and the social agenda are under way in the Arctic and how should we tell the world about them? How can we develop economic and technological collaboration through humanitarian cooperation? How can we attract skilled workers from Russia and other countries to develop the macro-region? How can we unite and systematize the efforts of all parties involved in international Arctic activities to make the Arctic more popular?

Scientists estimate that permafrost thawing will cause more than RUB 7–10 trillion in damages to residential and industrial buildings and structures by 2050, and this does not include the linear infrastructure of oil and gas companies and future investments in development. Environmental risks are difficult to assess at this point since rising temperatures in the Arctic have a complex systemic effect on the planet’s climate. Russia needs to create an effective state system for the geotechnical monitoring of the condition of buildings and structures located in permafrost areas in order to predict the risks that could arise from its degradation. A system of preventive measures also needs to be developed to minimize possible damage. Who should be involved in creating a state system of geotechnical permafrost monitoring and how should areas of responsibility be distributed among the planners of this system? What aspects of developing a state geotechnical monitoring system should be regulated by legislation, and which agencies should create the legislative framework? Do new legislative acts need to be drafted or is it enough to make adjustments to existing legislation? What work is being carried out now, what are the interim results of the work on the draft law on geotechnical permafrost monitoring, and what steps will be taken in the future? What is the international community’s role in monitoring the state of permafrost and ensuring the reliability of infrastructure in the Arctic? What best permafrost monitoring practices that have been developed by corporations operating in the region can be replicated?

The Arctic is one of the most fragile ecosystems on the planet. The priority for Arctic development should be environmental conservation, ensuring a balance between economic activity, human presence, and the preservation of nature. Since 2018, Russia has been implementing the Ecology national project, aimed at improving environmental conditions and enhancing public health. In 2025, Russia launched the national project Environmental Well-Being, which includes six federal programmes: General Cleaning, Closed Cycle Economy, Water of Russia, Clean Air, Forest Conservation, and Preservation of Biodiversity and Development of Ecotourism. What achievements have been made under the Ecology national project? What are the government’s plans for the Environmental Well-Being project by 2030? What investment initiatives have businesses implemented, and how have they contributed to environmental improvements? What forms of cooperation between the state and businesses can enhance the effectiveness of environmental policies?

The enormous challenges of developing Russia’s Arctic zone and implementing major investment projects to extract minerals and improve the infrastructure of the Northern Sea Route require measures to ensure the sanitary and epidemiological safety of the population and create a favourable habitat and safe working conditions. Today, it is crucial to minimize health risks for both those who are just arriving in the Arctic as well as the Indigenous population living in the extreme climatic conditions of the North. This involves providing high-quality water supply in permafrost conditions, ensuring the disposal of municipal waste, supplying high-quality and safe food, and creating the conditions needed for people to manage and correct their diets, particularly among children, all of which are crucial to reducing the incidence of disease among the population. Maintaining the health of the working population amidst low temperatures and different daylight patterns, as well as the use of preventive measures, should be based on following a system of hygienic regulation as a component of public health management. The climate change and warming that have been seen in recent years, as well as the reduction in permafrost, are causing complications in the epidemiological and hygienic situation due to the pollution of soil and water sources.