VLADIVOSTOK, September 3. /TASS/. In the near future, Russian regions may face unplanned expenses to restore structures and communications affected by melting permafrost while the country lacks a unified control and research system, the Clean Arctic - Vostok-77 expedition's Chairman of the Supervisory Board Oleg Volkov told TASS on sidelines of the Eastern Economic Forum (EEF).

"Almost 65% of Russia's territory is taken by the permafrost, which not so long ago was considered permanent. By having a comprehensive geotechnical monitoring of such soils this country will benefit from climate change, not suffer from it. Without a unified monitoring and research system, Russian regions soon will face unplanned expenses due to destructed structures and communications," he said.

At the forum, scientists have presented the latest permafrost studies data from the Murmansk, Yamal and Taymyr Regions. The Russian Federation needs to have a law on permafrost, which will determine measures to create a system of geotechnical observations of frozen soils, and will regulate a federal executive authority responsible for creating this system, experts say.

"Over three years of research, has emerged a pool of scientists and companies that are ready to participate in creating a unified federal system for integrated geotechnical monitoring of frozen soils. We keep contacts with the Cryolithology and Glaciology Department at the Moscow State University, the Geocryology Laboratory at the Sergeev Institute of Environmental Geoscience (the Russian Academy of Sciences), the Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute. The Initiative Project Office has been created at the Arctic Resource Center Foundation - it unites efforts of scientists and relevant IT companies. <...> A dialogue on legal issues is underway with Vostokgosplan. The Arctic Initiatives Center advises on social aspects of the system creation process," the expedition's representative said.

Work on the EcoMonitoring State Information System continues under the Integrated Environmental Quality Monitoring System federal project. The system is expected to present on a single site data from 23 types of monitoring, including permafrost's geotechnical monitoring. The system will be used to model and forecast climate change to favor trouble-free operation of infrastructure facilities in permafrost areas that occupy more than half of the country.

About the Eastern Economic Forum

The Eastern Economic Forum (EEF) runs on the campus of the Far Eastern Federal University in Vladivostok on September 3-6, 2024. The main theme in 2024 is "Far East 2030. Combining strengths to create new potential." EEF 2024 business activities are broken down into seven thematic blocks: "New contours of international cooperation," "Technologies to ensure independence," "Financial system of values," "the Russian Far East," "People, education and patriotism," "Transport and logistics: new routes," and "Master plans: from architecture to economy." The event's organizer is the Roscongress Foundation. TASS is the general information partner.