Тhe Russian Federation's Chairmanship at the Arctic Council

Abstract

The article focuses on status, structure and organization of the Arctic Council (AC, Council). It is noted that the AC is an international, regional structure, which is designed to promote cooperation in the Arctic in the field of environmental protection and sustainable development of the circumpolar regions. In the activities of the countries chaired by the Arctic Council, special attention is paid to the continuity of the Arctic agenda. The importance of the Strategic Plan of the Arctic Council for 2021‒2030 adopted in 2021 for the further improvement of AC activities is highlighted. The central part of the study is devoted to Russia's approaches to international cooperation in the AC and an analysis of the content of the Programme of the Russian Federation's 2021 to 2023 Chairmanship of the Arctic Council. The aforementioned includes such priorities as the population of the Arctic and the indigenous small-numbered peoples of the North; environmental protection and climate change; social and economic development in the region; strengthening the Arctic Council. The study also deals with the Main Action Plan, which covers all the countries of the AC and areas of its activities. The article draws attention to the risks and threats that may arise during the period of the Russian Chairmanship. It is concluded that the urgent problems of this region can be solved only through balanced and mutually beneficial international cooperation in the economic and social fields, in the field of ecology, development of indigenous peoples, cooperation in scientific research, Arctic tourism, emergencies in the region.