Environment protection during mining in the Russian Arctic: modern trends and perspectives

Abstract

The paper is devoted to the fundamental issues of the environment protection and mining in the Arctic territory. The author considers the main trends of the industrial development and its impact on the specific ecosystem of the Arctic. The newest laws adopted in the Russian Federation on Arctic development and state policy is researched. In the paper the analysis of the data on the investment to the environment protection in Russia is also performed. It allows developing recommendations for the improvement of environment protection including organizational, legal and scientific measures. The author also researches the industrial development impact on human living conditions and health decreased by the worsening environment of the Arctic. In the paper the necessity of the partnership and cooperation between subsoil user, government and local communities (including indigenous peoples) is justified. The recommendations given in the conclusions include the community councils’ formation for the monitoring the quality of the environment on the local level. It could help to prevent conflicts in the Arctic during mining. Other recommendations consider possible ways for the improvement of state policy in the Arctic as well as the mechanisms of the environment economics.