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International forum ‘Arctic: Today and the Future’ kicks off in St. Petersburg

This year’s forum will focus on social and economic development of the polar territories

ST. PETERSBURG, December 4. /TASS/. The international forum dubbed "Arctic: Today and the Future" will open on Monday at the Expoforum platform in St. Petersburg and will run until December 6. This year’s forum will focus on development of the Arctic Support Zones and social and economic development of the polar territories.

"The focus of the agenda will be on development of support zones and single-industry towns, industrial cooperation, modern communications systems, environmental protection and development of ecotourism in the Arctic," the organizers’ press service reported.

The press service noted that the forum participants will also discuss improvement of the quality of life in the Arctic territories, development of science and education and adoption of technologies in the exploration of the Arctic.

In addition, a working group on reduction of dependence of the Russian fuel and energy complex from imported equipment will be convened within the forum on December 4 and will involve heads of the Russian Energy and Trade Ministries and the leading oil producing and coal mining companies. On December 5, the state commission on the Artic development will be convened under chairmanship of Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin that will discuss implementation of state programs to develop Russia’s northern territories and measures to be taken by the state for scientific research and development of investment projects in the mining and smelting area.

Representatives of the federal ministries and agencies, governors of Russian northern regions, business community members, members of non-profit organizations and others will speak at the forum’s panel session.

The forum on the Arctic exploration will be held for the seventh time this year. It was organized by the Polar Explorers’ Association. The final proposals and initiatives will become the basis of the public resolution on social and economic development of the Russian Arctic Zone that will be used by entities that are involved in the exploration of the Arctic.

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