Radioactive Waste and Contamination in the Arctic Regions: Perspectives on the Impact on Its Indigenous Peoples

1998 ◽  
pp. 423-446
Author(s):  
Marianne A. Stenbaek
Land ◽  
2022 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 105
Author(s):  
Evdokia Burtseva ◽  
Anatoliy Sleptsov ◽  
Anna Bysyina ◽  
Alla Fedorova ◽  
Gavril Dyachkovski ◽  
...  

The Republic of Sakha (Yakutia; RS(Y)) is located in the northeast of Siberia (Russia) in the basins of the Lena, Yana, and Indigirka rivers, in the lower reaches of the Kolyma River. Yakutia is an industrial–agrarian republic with a developed mining, fuel, and energy industry. Indigenous peoples live mainly in the Arctic regions, where the large-scale development of mineral resources is planned, and South Yakutia, where the mining industry is well developed. The aim of this study is the development of methodological approaches to assessing the impact of the mining industry on the natural environment and the social sphere in the places of residence and traditional economic activities of the indigenous peoples of the North. We used the results of research work (R&D), materials of expeditionary work, and regulatory documents of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) and the Russian Federation (RF). The state of the environment (ES) was assessed on the basis of the analysis of indicators for three areas: (a) anthropogenic load, (b) environmental and social consequences, and (c) resistance of natural complexes to technogenic impacts. In total, 22 indicators were used for the 3 areas, for example, population density, person/km2; the volume of extraction of rock mass, million m3; and emissions, t/year. To bring dissimilar indicators into comparable ones, we used a methodological approach with the use of the social risk index (SRI). In Arctic regions (mainly agricultural), the ES is in a favorable and relatively favorable state: SRI 0.61–0.70; in the central regions (mainly agricultural), it is satisfactory and relatively satisfactory: SRI 0.71–1.0; in the southern and western regions with a developed mining industry, it is relatively tense and tense: SRI 1.01–3.0. An extremely tense state of environmental conditions has developed in the city of Yakutsk: SRI ≥ 3. Generally, the deterioration of the environmental situation and vital activity of the indigenous peoples in investigated Arctic region correlated with the impact of the mining industry.


Author(s):  
Masoud Naseri

In Arctic regions, oil and gas (O&G) operations are adversely affected by harsh weather conditions and severe meteorological phenomena such as icing storms and, in certain regions, polar low pressures. Potential solutions, such as implementing winterisation concepts, are explored in the design and even operation phases in order to overcome such obstacles. Simply, the main aim of winterisation is to provide the crew and equipment units with a range of normal environmental and working conditions through, for instance, insulating equipment units, installing heat tracers, enclosing working areas, providing the crew with adequate clothing, etc. There are, however, some concerns about the efficiency of such winterisation measures and potential changes in operation risk level, of which the changes in plant downtime, production loss, and plant maintainability are the focus of present study. The issue of complex effects of winterisation measures on maintainability analysis of O&G plants operating in the Arctic offshore has gained little attention in the literature. In this study, different aspects of winterisation from the viewpoint of equipment maintainability are discussed. Further, a mathematical framework for maintainability analysis of equipment units subjected to winterisation measures is proposed. The impact of winterisation-related downtimes on plant downtime is analysed as well by employing a Monte Carlo system simulation technique. The application of the proposed framework is illustrated by a case study. The results are further compared with those for a non-winterised system designed for normal-climate regions.


POPULATION ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 23 (1) ◽  
pp. 28-38
Author(s):  
Elena G. Zlenko

The need for accelerated social and economic development of the Arctic as a priority geostrategic territory of the Russian Federation requires a special approach to the issues of incomes of the population of the Arctic regions, and, above all, to the social criterion. Foreign experience in formation of minimum consumer budgets, domestic developments in this area and methodological principles of its formation used for a living wage have determined the priorities in choosing a social criterion. The key role in addressing this issue is played by the system of low-income consumer budgets (the subsistence minimum (SM) and the socially acceptable (recovery) consumer budget, which exceeds the subsistence minimum by about 3 times) within the framework of the general classification of the system of normative consumer budgets developed by the scientific school of the All-Russian Center for Living Standards. The methodological basis for formation of a socially acceptable consumer budget is determined by the provisions based on the recovery level of population consumption in conjunction with low incomes and taking into account the satisfaction of material, spiritual and social needs, a variety of consumer properties and benefits, as well as the impact on the consumption characteristics of the natural, climatic, economic, social and other special factors of the Arctic. Important for the social criterion qualities — validity and transparency — are ensured through application of the normative method of forming a socially acceptable consumer basket, which includes sets of food products, non-food goods and services. The normative socially acceptable consumer budget is differentiated by the specific of consumption of different categories of the population that is reflected in the structure and volume of consumption. The size of the socially acceptable consumer budget is determined by the cost of the consumer basket, as well as expenses on savings and mandatory payments and fees. Regional differences in the factors influencing the formation of a socially acceptable consumer budget cause territorial diversity in the level of the indicator in the Arctic zone.


2021 ◽  
pp. 144-160
Author(s):  
Natalya V. DYADIK ◽  
◽  
Anastasiya N. CHAPARGINA ◽  
◽  

In the era of digital technologies, the issues of providing highly qualified personnel, the effective use of the intellectual potential of the territory and the creation of conditions for its reproduction are of particular importance. These problems are more acute in remote areas of the Russian Arctic. This is due, firstly, to the ultradispersity of the settlement system in the Arctic of the Russian Federation, and, secondly, to the imbalance between the demand and supply of labor resources in territorial and professional terms. Digitalization has become an integral component of education all over the world; therefore, the purpose of this article is to assess the availability of education in the regions of the Russian Arctic and to search for new targets for quality education in the context of digital transformation. The existing educational environment in the Arctic regions is analyzed in the article. The impact of urbanization degree on affordable education in remote Arctic regions is assessed. The financial capabilities of the population are investigated. Based on the analysis, a number of problems associated with the active dissemination of new technologies are identified. Recommendations for improving the educational process are given, taking into account the digitalization of society. The main stages of modernization of the educational process in remote regions of the Arctic are identified.


POPULATION ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 23 (2) ◽  
pp. 72-84
Author(s):  
Evgenia V. Potravnaya

The article deals with gender aspects of the perception of environmental problems by the population in the industrial development of the Arctic. There is substantiated the need to develop an ethno-social approach to the study of environmental problems in the framework of interaction between mining companies and the indigenous peoples of the North. It is proposed to conduct sociological surveys of the population when assessing the impact on the ethnological environment (ethnological expertise of the project). The experience of conducting such research to identify and assess gender-specific perceptions of environmental problems in the implementation of investment projects in the Arctic is shown. Based on the results of the empirical research in 2017–2019 on alluvial gold and diamond mining projects in the Northern regions of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia), the main environmental problems that concern the local population are identified. These include: pollution of the environment in the territories of traditional nature use, decrease in the number of deer, reduction in the number of objects of traditional crafts, lack of a system for garbage removal and processing, climate change, and others. The article shows specifics of the environmental problems perception by the indigenous inhabitants of the North (Evenks, Dolgans, Yukagirs, Sakha) on a gender basis. It proposes a mechanism for taking into account the gender characteristics of the population’s behavior in the impact of economic activities on the environment in order to ensure gender equality by signing an agreement between mining companies and the local population on the socio-economic development of the territory. The concept of a gender approach to the account of ethnosocial and environmental aspects of territory development with the account the life cycle of the project is substantiated. Implementation of this approach will allow a more full account of the interests and needs of the indigenous population in the industrial development of the territory in the Arctic.


Public Health ◽  
2022 ◽  
Vol 1 (4) ◽  
pp. 49-55
Author(s):  
A. B. Gudkov ◽  
G. N. Degteva ◽  
O. A. Shepeleva

The Goal. To analyze the literature on the impact of high latitude climate on human health, as well as consider some aspects of adaptation to Arctic conditions and nutritional issues for the population and shift workers.Methods. Review of the articles placed in the bibliographic and abstract databases of VINITI, CyberLeninka, RSCI, Scopus, WoS, on the study of environmental and hygienic problems in the Arctic territories, where intense industrial activity is carried out. The following keywords were used: Arctic territories, adaptation, watch, food.Results. Long-term fundamental research has established that a complex of unfavorable and extreme natural and climatic factors in the Arctic causes two main syndromes in humans – “polar tension” and “northern tissue hypoxia”. Adaptation of new settlers in the Arctic territories proceeds in three stages. The duration of the shift period must have a physiological and hygienic justification and correspond to the duration of the period of stable working capacity. In high latitudes, it is especially important to develop diets and food products for various groups of the population and shift workers in relation to the specifics of their work in the Arctic regionsConclusions. Among the main environmental and hygienic problems of the Arctic territories, where intense industrial activity is carried out, it is necessary to highlight the tasks of scientific substantiation of rational modes of work and rest of workers in rotational forms of work. Also it’s necessary to define the quantitative and qualitative composition of food rations recommended for nutrition of various groups of the population, in relation to the specifics of production factors.


Resources ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 48 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria S. Tysiachniouk ◽  
Andrey N. Petrov ◽  
Violetta Gassiy

The aim of this Special Issue is to provide a comprehensive view of the benefit sharing and compensation mechanisms for the Indigenous Peoples and local communities in the Arctic and sub-Arctic regions due to industrial resource extraction. The papers cover the following topics: (1) Benefit-sharing frameworks in the Arctic. (2) Corporate social responsibility standards and benefit sharing by extractive industries in the Arctic. (3) Benefit sharing and international and national legislation. (4) The practice of implementing legislation to support Indigenous and local interests. (5) The methodologies for assessing compensation to Indigenous communities from extractive industries.


2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (11) ◽  
pp. 89-98
Author(s):  
Dmitry L. Kondratovich ◽  

The article is devoted to the identification of modern factors influencing the development of the cluster of Arctic coastal regions and the development of proposals to reduce the risks of economic security, taking into account the specific features of the development of these territories. A lot of research works have been devoted to aspects of the economic security of the Arctic coastal regions, and there is also an interest on the part of the state to address issues of balanced development of the Arctic territories, which is expressed in a systematic approach implemented through a number of strategic documents, including the Economic Security Strategy of the Russian Federation for the period up to 2030. Despite this, the change in modern realities requires constant adjustments to existing documents and forecasts affecting the regional specifics of economic security and Arctic coastal regions, from the perspective of the influence of various factors, such as, for example, sanctions, the COVID-19 pandemic, instability of world commodity markets, the introduction of green technologies, changing priorities in the development of Arctic regions.


2019 ◽  
Vol 91 ◽  
pp. 06012
Author(s):  
Sergei Petrov ◽  
Natali Mamaeva ◽  
Maksim Narushko

The article studies the issue of the protection of the land and the coastal part of the Kara Sea and the role of specially protected natural territories, trading posts of small indigenous peoples of the North (SIPN) located within the boundaries of the state biological reserve of regional importance Yamalskiy. It is shown that the consolidation of administrative and production resources and academic science in order to study the influence of natural and anthropogenic factors on the biogeocenosis of the Arctic and the sociogenesis of the peoples of the North will allow solving specific tasks of developing and using the Arctic zone of the Russian Federation and preserving the ethnic and cultural development of the SIPN, protecting their original habitat and traditional lifestyle.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document