As Arctic permafrost rapidly is responding to climate change, Arctic states should do the same
“Human civilisation has never known a time when there has not been sea ice in the Arctic in the summer. We appear to be approaching that time.”
Waleed Abdalati, former NASA Chief Scientist
This spring, locals of the Russian Arctic coastal area witnessed a major break-up of ice that took place half a month earlier than usual. Vast masses of ice floated down the Yenisey river to-wards the Kara Sea. The...
Instead of anticipating threats to the environment, we leave things for later until it is already too late
On top of the major shifts that are happening as a result of the pandemic and global movements against institutionalized racism, a new environmental threat reminds us that we need to remain extremely vigilant despite the current unstable socio-economic situation. As it has been largely covered by the media around the world, on May 29, 2020, an oil storage tank from Norilsk-Taimyr Energy's...
From air and water quality to wildlife restoration, data proves that the imposed quarantine regime has initiated profound changes
The current pandemic has dramatically changed the face of the world over the past couple of months. Not only are the countries’ economies being profoundly impacted, but more magnified political cleavages are taking place between great powers, as observed between the United States and China, for instance. The two countries are blaming each other in the context of the...
Why does climate change in the Arctic matter?
The outbreak of COVID-19, despite its horrific consequences on humanity, resulted in an unexpectedly positive effect on the global environment. Due to
China’s factories
shut down,
port restrictions
, international
air traffic
put on hold, the air quality and state of the environment have significantly improved. Sooner or later, when the pandemic is defeated, we will be back on track, which again means excessive pollution, poor air quality, and rising...
The Australian bushfires might prove to be a turning point towards a more enlightened, informed plan to protect and nurture our environment
A record-breaking high summer came early to Australia in 2019. By October, the daily weather map of the country was charting the rapid spread of catastrophic bushfires in disparate regions across the entire island continent. This meant recurrent, intense weather events that combined 40°C temperatures, ferocious winds and dry lightning storms, in which sparse...
The fires of climate change are upon us. Our beautiful bush will never be the same again. Don’t say we were not warned
Suddenly, sickeningly, the consequences of climate change have hit gentle, populated South-Eastern Australia. All up and down the usually well-watered Great Dividing Range, from Western Victoria around to the Queensland tablelands behind Brisbane, the Australian bush is on fire. An area now the size of Portugal, or Czech Republic, or Austria, has burnt out in fierce fast moving...
It is too early to say that a climate-conscious attitude has started to take hold
The International Climate Change Regime
Today’s global climate agenda is supported by various international institutions, and its implementation involves a broad range of measures. We are talking about a complex international regime aimed at preventing climate change. The roles and functions of its elements are inconsistent and have changed over time due to a large number of factors. The United Nations plays a special...
On October 14, 2019, in Arkhangelsk, Northern (Arctic) Federal University (NArFU) hosted a seminar on “Maritime Security in the Arctic: A View from Russia and Britain” as part of a joint project of Russian International Affairs Council (RIAC) and the Royal United Services Institute, RUSI “Russian-British Security Dialogue”
On October 14, 2019, in Arkhangelsk, Northern (Arctic) Federal University (NArFU) hosted a seminar on “Maritime Security in the Arctic: A View from Russia and Britain” as part...
Does Russia’s relative stability imply that Moscow will be by default the proactive side in its relationship with the European Union?
One of the many complicating factors in EU-Russia relations is the asynchrony of their respective political cycles. The European Union has already entered a period of fundamental political and institutional changes, while the Russian Federation is only slowly approaching a tipping point in its domestic development. Today, it is arguably easier to make short-term...
In Russia, the carbon markets are not seen as a potential source of economic gain, which is a mistake
As the negative effects of rising temperatures intensify, and efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions are making little headway, global concern about climate change is growing.
The climate issue is the most global of all problems facing humankind, and the only way to counter it is for all the leading states to work together. A specific feature of climate change is that the temperature rises...
