Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Environmental Problems of the Arctic Region: How Do Official Data Correlate to the Population’s Perceptions?

  • NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
  • Published:
Regional Research of Russia Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract—

The article discusses the current state and ecological and economic development of the Arctic zone of the Russian Federation with a case study one of the Arctic regions of the Russia’s European North: the Karelian Arctic. The objective of the article is to identify the key problems and contradictions of the ecological and economic development of the Karelian Arctic in their perception by the population of the region. In view of the limited statistical information on these issues, the focus is on the use of sociological research methods. The main research methods are dialectical, sociological (questionnaire survey), and statistical analysis. Based on the results of the empirical study, the population of the Karelian Arctic determined the assessments of the state of the environment and its dynamics in the world, Russia, the Arctic, as well as in the region and immediate place of residence of the respondents. A detailed assessment by the population of the state of the environment was obtained for the following components: air quality, surface water quality, noise level, state of forests and parks, pollution level of the territory in terms of household waste. These data were obtained and analyzed broken down by regions, which allows the research results to be used both in the development of differentiated regulatory measures at the regional government level and in the creation of software tools for development of the Karelian Arctic region and implementation of a special economic regime for the Arctic zone of the Russian Federation. The scientific significance of the results obtained is determined by the uniqueness of the research object. The Karelian Arctic region was formed in July 2020. Earlier, the region had not been studied as a special economic territorial entity. Nor had the region been studied as thoroughly as in the present work. The practical significance of the study lies in the creation of an information base that can be used for the implementation of administrative tasks by federal, regional, and municipal authorities. It can also be used to prepare strategic and program documents for development of the Arctic zone of the Russian Federation and create a special economic regime on the territory of the Russian Arctic.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1.
Fig. 2.
Fig. 3.
Fig. 4.
Fig. 5.
Fig. 6.

Similar content being viewed by others

Notes

  1. See: Decree of the President of the Russian Federation no. 164 of March 5, 2020, On the Fundamentals of State Policy of the Russian Federation in the Arctic for the Period until 2035 (Art. 3.9.). http://www.kremlin.ru/acts/bank/45255.

  2. See: Federal Law no. 193-FZ of July 13, 2020 On State Support for Entrepreneurial Activity in the Arctic Zone of the Russian Federation. https://fzrf.su/zakon/2020-07-13-n-193-fz/.

  3. Initial information on the factors affecting the state of the environment is represented by data of the territorial body of the Federal State Statistics Service for the Republic of Karelia.

REFERENCES

  1. Blam, Yu.Sh. and Blam, I.Yu., Development of ecotourism in Russia, Reg.: Ekon. Sotsiol., 2020, no. 3 (107), pp. 301–317. https://doi.org/10.15372/REG20200312

  2. Crépin, A.S. and Folke, C., The economy, the biosphere and planetary boundaries: towards biosphere economics, Int. Rev. Environ. Resour. Econ., 2015, vol. 8, no. 1, pp. 57–100. https://doi.org/10.1561/101.00000066

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Crépin, A.S., Karcher, M., and Gascard, J.C., Arctic Climate Change, Economy and Society (ACCESS): integrated perspectives, Ambio, 2017, vol. 46, pp. 341–354. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13280-017-0953-3

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Dana, L.-P. and Anderson, R.B., Mining and communities in the Arctic: lessons from Baker Lake, Canada, Int. J. Entrepreneurship Small Bus., 2014, vol. 22, no. 3, pp. 343–361.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Elias, S.A., Human impacts on Arctic ecosystems, in Encyclopedia of the World’s Biomes, Goldstein, M.I. and DellaSala, D.A., Eds., Amsterdam: Elsevier, 2020, pp. 409–420. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-409548-9.12032-9

  6. Eythorsson, D., Gardarsson, M., Ahmad, S., Hossain, F., and Nijssen, B., Arctic climate and snow cover trends Comparing Global Circulation Models with remote sensing observations, Int. J. Appl. Earth Obs. Geoinf., 2019, vol. 80, pp. 71–81. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jag.2019.04.003

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Fauzer, V.V. and Smirnov, A.V., The World Arctic: natural resources, population resettlement, and economy, Arkt.: Ekol. Ekon., 2018, no. 3 (31), pp. 6–22. https://doi.org/10.25283/2223-4594-2018-3-6-22

  8. Gritsenko, D. and Efimova, E., Is there Arctic resource curse? Evidence from the Russian Arctic regions, Resour. Policy, 2020, vol. 65, art. ID 101547. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resourpol.2019.101547

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Klyukina, E.S., Environmental threats to the health of the population on the industrial territories of the Arctic region, Tr. Kol’sk. Nauchn. Tsentra, Ross. Akad. Nauk, 2018, no. 2-13 (9), pp. 91–103. https://doi.org/10.25702/KSC.2307-5252.2018.9.2.91-103

  10. Kondratov, N.A., Development of the Arctic: strategic interests of Russia, Arct. Environ. Res., 2014, no. 1, pp. 120–126.

  11. Koz’menko, S.Yu., Specific defense and economic activities in the Arctic in the era of global warming, Morsk. Sb., 2019, no. 2, pp. 56–60.

  12. Kuchko, Ya.A., Il’mast, N.V., and Kuchko, T.Yu., Zooplankton of reservoirs in the upper reaches of the Kenti river system (Northern Karelia) under long-term industrial pollution conditions, Biol. Bull. (Moscow), 2015, vol. 42, pp. 470–477. https://doi.org/10.1134/S1062359015040093

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Leksin, V.N. and Porfir’ev, B.N., Socioeconomic priorities for sustainable development of the Arctic macroregion of Russia, Ekon. Reg., 2017, vol. 13, no. 4, pp. 985–1004. https://doi.org/10.17059/2017-4-2

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Leksin, V.N. and Porfir’ev, B.N., State and tasks of state management of the socioeconomic development of the Russian Arctic: legal aspect, Vopr. Gos. Munits. Upr., 2018, no. 2, pp. 114–138.

  15. Liu, C.-Y., Fan, H.-M., Dang, X.-J., and Zhang, X., The Arctic policy and port development along the Northern Sea Route: evidence from Russia’s Arctic strategy, Ocean Coastal Manage., 2020, vol. 201, art. ID 105422. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ocecoaman.2020.105422

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Luszczuk, M., Padrtova, B., and Szczerbowicz, W., Political dimension of Arctic research, Oceanologia, 2020, vol. 62, no. 4, pp. 608–621. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.oceano.2020.03.008

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Mazur, I.I., The Arctic as a bifurcation point in the development of a global world, Vek Globalizatsii, 2010, no. 2, pp. 93–104. https://www.socionauki.ru/journal/files/ vg/2010_2/093-104.pdf. Accessed November 1, 2020.

  18. Medvedeva, M.V., Titova, T.S., Bakhmet, O.N., Pekkoev, A.N., and Kharitonov, V.A., The influence of aerial industrial pollution on the accumulation of heavy metals in the plant-soil system, Ekol. Prom-st. Ross., 2019, vol. 23, no. 6, pp. 52–57. https://doi.org/10.18412/1816-0395-2019-6-52-57

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. Moiseenko, T.I. and Denisov, D.B., Is this possible to restore the Arctic lake ecosystem after long-term pollution? Arkt.: Ekol. Ekon., 2019, no. 4 (36), pp. 16–25. https://doi.org/10.25283/2223-4594-2019-4-16-25

  20. Nikanov, A.N., Dorofeev, V.M., Talykova, L.V., Stur-lis, N.V., and Gushchin, I.V., Morbidity in the adult population of the European Arctic of Russian Federation with a developed mining and metallurgical industry, Ross. Arkt., 2019, no. 6, pp. 20–27. https://doi.org/10.24411/2658-4255-2019-10063

  21. Pérez, E. and Yaneva, Z., The European Arctic policy in progress, Polar Sci., 2016, vol. 10, no. 3, pp. 441–449. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.polar.2016.06.008

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. Petrick, S., Riemann-Campe, K., Hoog, S., et al., Climate change, future Arctic Sea ice, and the competitiveness of European Arctic offshore oil and gas production on world markets, Ambio, 2017, vol. 46, pp. 410–422. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13280-017-0957-z

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. Shelomentsev, A.G., Voronina, L.V., Smirennikova, E.V., and Ukhanova, A.V., Migration factors in the Arctic zone of Russian Federation, Ars Admin., 2018, vol. 10, no. 3, pp. 396–418. https://doi.org/10.17072/2218-9173-2018-3-396-418

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. Skuf’ina, T.P. and Baranov, S.V., The phenomenon of uneven socioeconomic development of cities and regions of Murmansk oblast: specifics, trends, forecast, and regulation, Ekon. Sots. Peremeny: Fakty, Tendentsii, Prognoz, 2017, vol. 10, no. 5, pp. 66–82. https://doi.org/10.15838/esc/2017.5.53.5

    Article  Google Scholar 

  25. Sokolov, Yu.I., Arctic: on the problem of accumulated environmental hazard, Arkt.: Ekol. Ekon., 2013, no. 2 (10), pp. 18–27. http://www.ibrae.ac.ru/docs/2(10)/ 018_027_ARKTIKA_2.pdf. Accessed November 1, 2020.

  26. Strawa, A., Latshaw, G., Farkas, S., Russell, P., and Zornetzer, S., Arctic ice loss threatens national security: a path forward, Orbis, 2020, vol. 64, no. 4, pp. 622–636. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.orbis.2020.08.010

    Article  Google Scholar 

  27. Sur, J.M. and Kim, D.J., Multi criteria evaluation of beneficial effect of commercializing Northern Sea Route on Europe and Asia countries, Asian J. Shipp. Logist., 2020, vol. 36, no. 4, pp. 193–201. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajsl.2020.03.002

    Article  Google Scholar 

  28. Tolvanen, A., et al., Mining in the Arctic environment: a review from ecological, socioeconomic and legal per-spectives, J. Environ. Manage., 2018, vol. 233, pp. 832–844. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2018.11.124

    Article  Google Scholar 

  29. Tsukerman, V., Goryachevskaya, E., and Ivanov, S., Environmental management and economics of the Arctic region, E3S Web Conf., 2019, vol. 110, art. ID 02058. https://doi.org/10.1051/e3sconf/201911002058

  30. Wassmann, P., Carmack, E., Bluhm, B., et al., Towards a unifying pan-arctic perspective: a conceptual modeling toolkit, Prog. Oceanogr., 2020, vol. 189, art. ID 102455. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pocean.2020.102455

    Article  Google Scholar 

  31. Woon, C.Y., Framing the “Polar Silk Road”: critical geopolitics, Chinese scholars and the (re)positionings of China’s Arctic interests, Polit. Geogr., 2020, vol. 78, art. ID 102141. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.polgeo.2019.102141

    Article  Google Scholar 

  32. Yamanouchi, T. and Takata, K., Rapid change of the Arctic climate system and its global influences: overview of GRENE Arctic climate change research project (2011–2016), Polar Sci., 2020, vol. 25, art. ID 100548. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.polar.2020.100548

    Article  Google Scholar 

  33. Zhang, Y., Meng, Q., and Ng, S.H., Shipping efficiency comparison between Northern Sea Route and the conventional Asia-Europe shipping route via Suez Canal, J. Transp. Geogr., 2016, vol. 57, pp. 241–249. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jtrangeo.2016.09.008

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Funding

The research was supported by the Russian Foundation for Basic Research (project no. 20-010-00245 “Current State and Forecast of Ecological and Economic Development of the Arctic Zone of the Russian Federation”).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Economics, Karelian Research Center, Russian Academy of Sciences, 185030, Petrozavodsk, Russia

    A. D. Volkov, S. V. Tishkov, V. V. Karginova-Gubinova & A. P. Shcherbak

Authors
  1. A. D. Volkov
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. S. V. Tishkov
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. V. V. Karginova-Gubinova
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. A. P. Shcherbak
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding authors

Correspondence to A. D. Volkov, S. V. Tishkov, V. V. Karginova-Gubinova or A. P. Shcherbak.

Ethics declarations

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Additional information

The article has been updated by the authors for publication in Regional Research of Russia.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Volkov, A.D., Tishkov, S.V., Karginova-Gubinova, V.V. et al. Environmental Problems of the Arctic Region: How Do Official Data Correlate to the Population’s Perceptions?. Reg. Res. Russ. 11 (Suppl 1), S97–S110 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1134/S2079970522010105

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1134/S2079970522010105

Keywords:

Search

Navigation