ST. PETERSBURG, July 27. /TASS/. Effective work to forecast global climate change may be possible if data from the polar Arctic and Antarctic areas is used together with data from African countries on both sides of the equator, Director of the Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute (AARI, St. Petersburg) Alexander Makarov told TASS on the first day of the Russia - Africa summit.

"Only by combining scientific data, we would be able to make correct conclusions to be used for long-term models of possible changes in the natural environment," he said. "This way, involved specialists will be able to react timely, to adapt the agro-industrial complexes, to minimize losses, and, possibly, to gain advantages."

The global climate change affects both Africa and Russia, and its Arctic part in particular - the change is most noticeable there, he continued. At the same time, scientists point to the mutual influence of the Earth's low and high latitudes due to the growing inter-latitude exchange in the atmosphere and ocean.

"The main recipients of solar heat - equatorial and tropical latitudes - have been receiving more and more solar energy and they generously "share" it with cooler and colder high latitudes. In exchange, cold air masses get further and further from the Arctic, causing cold waves and even snowfalls in North Africa. The hot breath of Africa and Arabia causes abnormal weather conditions in the south of Russia, in particular precipitation when it meets cooler air in temperate latitudes," the scientist said.

Russia has a strong infrastructural scientific base and a huge potential: 10 stations in Antarctica, dozens scientific stations in the Arctic, including the unique North Pole ice-resistant platform. The experience of Russian specialists who have been working in this field for more than 100 years may be used by specialists in African countries, he added.

AARI has a successful experience of cooperation with the Republic of South Africa. Russian polar explorers traveling to Antarctica pass Cape Town, and South Africa's specialists help Russian scientists in logistics and other issues. High-quality cooperation with other African countries in the organization of studies related to climate processes on the Earth could be important and mutually beneficial for the entire planet, the scientist concluded.

About summit

The second Russia - Africa Summit, along with an economic and humanitarian forum, is running in the Russian city of St. Petersburg on July 27-28. Similar to the first Russia-Africa summit held in 2019, the current event's motto is: "For Peace, Security and Development." The Roscongress Foundation is the event's organizer. TASS is the summit and forum's information partner and photo hosting agency. TASS also hosts the second Russia - Africa media forum.