Russian international Affairs Council has prepared a report “the Management of marine resources in the Arctic ocean”. In document available NEWS.ru discussed the challenges faced by the Arctic countries and contains specific proposals for the development of the region, including the creation of a new mechanism of cooperation between States for effective management of the marine environment.
The authors of the report concluded that the Arctic region faces a number of serious geopolitical, socio-economic and environmental problems. So, the countries in the region are difficult to make joint decisions because of the differing positions on issues of climate change. Thus, according to analysts, the problem of a warming Arctic, and as a consequence of the shrinking Arctic sea ice, will only be exacerbated.
Despite these problems — and in some sense, and thanks to them — the governments of the Arctic States, Arctic residents and other parties interested in the effective development of the Arctic ocean. Now is the time to develop and present the project more effective governance mechanisms that would facilitate the realization of common interests in both the short and long term, in the hope that politicians will find a way to implement this project, write the experts of RIAC.
The report stresses that the focus on the Central part of the Arctic ocean, as it is a poorly studied marine area in the Arctic. Also, this step will minimize the degree of the intersection of new institutions with the existing ones. So, the experts of RIAC propose to create a research organisation for marine research and special mechanism of management of the marine environment, which would be based on the recommendations and proposals of the new scientific organization. The report considers several options of functioning as a scientific organization, and the new mechanism. In particular, the experts identify the type of autonomy and operate under the auspices of the Arctic Council. However, they stress the importance of ensuring transparency in the mechanism, regardless of the fact, he acts in the framework of the Council or not.
As explained in an interview with NEWS.ru expert and RIAC program Manager Natalia Vyakhirev, the question of the composition of members of these organizations remains open.
a Natalia Vyakhirev, expert and program Manager of the Russian international Affairs Council:
the Membership could be restricted to the States of the Arctic region. In this case, it would be advisable to develop close cooperation with industry organizations such as the International Maritime organization, IMO, which includes 174 countries, including China.
Not ExC��treatment option and wider membership, with the inclusion of by landlocked developing countries in the new authority and non-Arctic States and organizations in the new scientific organization, given their interest. One of the criteria for participation in the proposed management system of marine resources for non-Arctic States could become their potential and interest in conducting systematic scientific research in the Central Arctic ocean.
According to her, the implementation of the second version for possible inclusion in a new scientific organization of both the European Union and China, although the report does not say this directly. China is developing research in the Arctic and is interested to participate in the management of the region, said Vyakhirev.
The expert believes that the implementation of any options the new architecture of governance would be a common project for stakeholders and would help to reduce the level of tension, gradually increasing in the Arctic.
