Abstract
Large hydrocarbon reserves in the Arctic attract companies that begin to exploit them intensively. The specific ecosystem of the Arctic (special climatic and hydrological conditions) is exposed to significant environmental risks. In this context, it is important to identify the most acute environmental problems and propose on this connection that it is topical to identify the most acute ecological problems and to propose ways of their solution. As in the rest of the world, one of the most important problems is climate change. However, in the harsh conditions of the Arctic, these changes occur on average twice as fast as in the rest of the world. Rising temperatures cause the Arctic ice to melt, which leads to land subsidence and, consequently, to the collapse of industrial structures, which creates emergency situations leading to accidental spills. In addition, the development of the Arctic generates large amounts of greenhouse gases, and as the temperature rises and the ice melts in the region, their growth is even greater. The international community and the Arctic states are already implementing measures aimed at solving the main environmental problems of the development of Arctic resources. International environmental cooperation is being developed, and a national legal framework has also been formed which defines measures aimed at combating environmental pollution in the Arctic. At the same time, the author proposes possible new ways of solving the main environmental problems of the Arctic resource development, in particular the creation of an environmental cluster and the development of eco-tourism and green energy projects.
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Zagrebelnaya, N.S. (2022). Environmental Aspects of Arctic Development. In: Pak, E.V., Krivtsov, A.I., Zagrebelnaya, N.S. (eds) The Handbook of the Arctic. Palgrave Macmillan, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-16-9250-5_37-1
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-16-9250-5_37-1
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