VLADIVOSTOK, September 4. /TASS/. The Arctic Council's analogue for the BRICS countries will facilitate coordination of the association's Arctic strategies and projects, Doctor of Economics, Professor at the Lomonosov Moscow State University's Faculty of Economics, Director of the Center for Research on Economic Problems of Arctic Development Sergey Nikonorov told TASS before the 10th Eastern Economic Forum.
"The BRICS countries have a huge potential for developing Arctic cooperation. To develop further the Arctic projects of these countries, it is necessary to create a BRICS council, similar to the Arctic Council. It is also necessary to create a fund to support scientific events and programs for the Arctic's sustainable development, as well as an international bank of the Arctic's sustainable development," he said.
For example, he continued, Brazil's concept of the Arctic development covers the country's participation in Arctic projects both in the BRICS multilateral format and as an independent participant.
"Brazil plans to prioritize scientific research in this area, using its expertise in the Antarctic policy and research. The region is a special area of scientific interest for Brazilian researchers in the context of studying the dynamics of Gulf Stream, which affects climate in the Atlantic, as well as maritime regulation issues," the expert said.
Brazil's experience in organizing water basins of large rivers in South America may be useful for Russia, since climate change in the Arctic affects the mode of precipitation, which affects the regime of river mouths in the Arctic region.
"The country is an economic player in the Arctic, as it exports to the Arctic states equipment for deep-sea oil and gas production. Besides, the satellite monitoring and communication technologies, which Brazil uses in the Amazon, are similar to those used in the Arctic," the professor added, noting that in 2023 Brazil sent the first research expedition to the Arctic.
India and the Arctic
In March 2022, India's Ministry of Earth Science presented an Arctic policy dubbed "India and the Arctic: Building a Partnership for Sustainable Development." The document outlined six main areas of India's Arctic policy, including science and research, climate and environmental protection, economic and human development, transport and connectivity, governance and international cooperation, and national capacity building to enhance interaction with the region.
"One of the paragraphs in the strategy involves, for example, building research vessels that could operate in the ice. India is committed to active participation in research to assess the Arctic's potential, as well as to develop cooperation with Arctic States in sustainable use of Arctic resources. The country is interested in sharing resources in the Arctic and has an interest in mining various minerals such as copper, phosphorus, rare earth metals and platinum," the expert said.
Arctic projects of the BRICS countries
The Chinese concept of Arctic development is based on continuous scientific research of the Arctic. It includes the study of marine environment and its impact on the global climate, the region's resources and atmosphere, protection of the Arctic ecological environment, and response to climate change.
"The concept's ultimate goal is to ensure the Arctic's sustainable development and exploration, respecting the interests of all involved parties," he continued.
Other BRICS member countries also have Arctic initiatives - South Africa, the United Arab Emirates, Iran, Ethiopia, Egypt, and Indonesia. Egypt is interested in neutralizing climate change threats and in the development of renewable energy sources. In 2019, a group of architects from Indonesia presented the Arctic development concept. The idea was to create special submarines that would restore glaciers. According to the plan, the submarines would collect ocean water in the Arctic, then, rising to the surface, freeze and "release" an iceberg through the hatch. While making hexagonal icebergs, the submarine would desalinate the water so that the ice floes could freeze faster. However, at the end of every cycle, extracted salt was supposed to be returned to the ocean.
About the forum
The 10th Eastern Economic Forum takes place in Vladivostok from September 3 to 6 under the theme "The Far East: Cooperation for Peace and Prosperity." The business program will feature more than 100 thematic sessions divided into seven tracks. The forum is expected to bring together over 4,500 participants from more than 70 countries and territories. The Roscongress Foundation is the event's organizer, with TASS as its general information partner.