Business programme 2022

In recent years, the ESG agenda has become increasingly important in the global economy: leading industrial enterprises have announced that they are transforming based on the principles of sustainable development, investors have been paying increased attention to non-financial reporting, and banks are developing green financing programmes. ESG principles also dominate in the public space. They are receiving more attention from governments and the public and are becoming a competitive advantage, as external factors influence corporate management models. In the unique natural and social conditions of the Arctic, a fundamentally new approach to doing business is also taking shape that takes into account the sustainable development criteria. However, the jury is still out on the optimal focuses and specific aspects of global ESG transformation among those involved in activities in the Arctic and their willingness to bear the corresponding costs. How can we find and maintain a balance between economic efficiency and the interests of social and environmental development? How should we assess the responsibility of business in the Arctic from among the wide range of rating criteria and standards? How do the best global and Russian ESG practices work in the Far North? How are ESG principles being integrated into regional development strategies? How can small and medium-sized businesses navigate the rules set out by the codes of large companies? How do sustainability indicators impact Arctic supply chains? How can we ensure the transparency of ‘non-financial reporting’, what role does it play in making investment decisions, and what role does green lending play in supporting Arctic enterprises? How should we support the ESG transformation in the Arctic in terms of technology?

The development of an integrated system to handle waste of all hazard classes and the construction of modern eco-friendly waste processing complexes are among the main goals for ensuring environmental protection and safety in the Russian Arctic. One of the target indicators reflecting the achievement of Russia’s national goals for 2030 is the creation of a sustainable municipal solid waste management system that ensures 100% waste sorting and cuts in half the amount of waste sent to landfills. For this reason, the creation of an integrated waste management system in the Arctic zone should ensure that the national goal indicators are achieved. What results have been accomplished by the implementation of the national Ecology project in the Russian Arctic? How are waste management systems being introduced in the territories of the Russian Arctic?

For Russia, where permafrost occupies more than 60% of the country’s territory, the problem of its thawing is particularly acute. The Arctic regions are strategically important territories for Russia, where large-scale projects are being implemented. Warming affects many processes: it alters landscapes, deforms river banks, waterlogs soils, and increases the frequency of floods and landslides. Manmade impacts and climate change result in the degradation of permafrost and processes that increase the risk of the deformation or destruction of the infrastructure of cities and industrial enterprises located in these territories. How can we ensure the safe operation of residential buildings, industrial facilities, and structures in the Arctic? What are the most effective ways to adapt to permafrost changes? What are some of the special aspects of construction and soil stabilization technologies?

Russia has begun carrying out the initial phase of work to take practical actions to eliminate the most dangerous flooded objects that contain nuclear materials. The Arctic Council and the global community are closely following developments in the Arctic Ocean. What progress has Russia made in cleaning up the Arctic? What is the current situation with the objects that were flooded in the 1980s? What kind of environmental rehabilitation work are Russian organizations performing? What technical methods are used to handle flooded objects? How are international organizations involved in cleaning up the Arctic? What are the next steps that Russia needs to take to achieve the goal of rehabilitating the region?

The global community believes that the risks driven by climate change are among the most significant risks threatening the world both now and in the coming decades in terms of their likelihood of materializing and the anticipated scope of damage. Climate change, in addition to the natural disasters that have been seen more frequently, affects demographic and social processes, migration, health, lifestyle, and employment. How do climate risks affect the sustainable development of the Arctic? How do different sectors of the economy assess climate risks? What approaches to climate risk management are being taken in the Arctic regions?

The Arctic zone features extreme natural and climatic conditions, high sensitivity of ecological systems to external influences, and significant climatic changes that have become much more pronounced in the last decade than they have in other climatic zones, which entails new risks for biological diversity. Commercial activities and climate change in the Arctic zone create global risks that could have adverse environmental consequences for the environment and environmental safety in the Arctic and the preservation of Arctic ecosystems as well as Arctic flora and fauna. While striving to reduce the negative impact on the Arctic environment, eliminate the negative consequences of commercial and other human activities, study and assess the impact of such consequences, and reduce the risk of harm to Arctic biodiversity, states are nevertheless increasing the pace of commercial development in the Arctic. According to ecologists, when vulnerable Arctic territories and water areas are developed, an area that is several times larger should be allocated as a protected area (including specially protected natural areas) to maintain environmental safety in the Arctic. Is it possible to harmonize the processes of commercial development and the conservation of the sensitive biological diversity of the Arctic? Are states ready to allocate large territories and water areas to create specially protected natural areas in the Arctic? Can governments, business, and society hold a dialogue to address issues concerning the conservation of biological diversity in the Arctic? Who should be responsible for eliminating the damage that has accumulated in the Arctic? How are modern technologies being used to preserve, study, and monitor Arctic biodiversity? What are some promising areas for cooperation between Arctic states to preserve the region’s biological diversity? What role do public institutions play in conserving biological diversity and developing the Arctic?