scholarly journals The Compensation for Losses to Indigenous Peoples Due to the Arctic Industrial Development in Benefit Sharing Paradigm

Resources ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 71 ◽  
Author(s):  
Violetta Gassiy ◽  
Ivan Potravny

This article discusses the results of research on the benefit sharing system in Russia focusing on compensation of losses to indigenous peoples due to industrial development in the Arctic. The authors analyzed a Russian case-study on the economic mechanisms of coordination and harmonization of multi-vector and conflicting interests in the process of industrial development of traditional lands. The developed recommendations will allow, on the one hand, compensating the losses of the indigenous communities, and, on the other hand, to engage indigenous peoples in the process of environmental management and socio-economic development of their territories. The object of the research was the Republic of Sakha and the indigenous communities of the remote Anabar region. The calculation of losses was considered. The authors suggest using this tool for the traditional lands development, because it helps to define fair compensation due to project impacts and to form a fund for sustainable community development. The considered project was exploring and extracting placer diamonds in Polovinnaya River in Yakutia. This paper also presents the social poll results organized in the indigenous communities in 2017. The results helped to formulate the recommendations for the business on benefit sharing agreements with Anabar communities.

Elem Sci Anth ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Elena Gladun ◽  
Soili Nysten-Haarala ◽  
Svetlana Tulaeva

There is a growing global interest in Arctic natural resources that have a strong influence on the local economies. The Arctic economy is a rather unique phenomenon encompassing Indigenous practices, local economic activities, and industrial development. Indigenous economies vary across the Arctic states and exhibit divergent economic mixtures. In globalizing societies and full market economies, traditional Indigenous economies are changing and perceived especially by the non-Indigenous to be a tribute to old customs rather than a way of life that is being followed by the young generation. However, certain groups of the contemporary Indigenous populations in the Arctic continue to preserve their culture and ensure the continuation of Indigenous ways of life. The development of Indigenous communities is closely linked to their economic well-being, on the one hand, and to their culture and traditions, on the other. Our article contributes to the discussion on the significance of Indigenous economies in providing sustainability in terms of Indigenous communities, their culture, and traditions. The research objective is to identify strategies and tools that sustain Indigenous economies as well as the goals of various stakeholders in encouraging and supporting the traditional economic activities of Indigenous peoples. We contrast three countries—Russia, Finland, and the United States (Alaska)—and discuss some governmental strategies that can be employed for preserving unique Indigenous economies. The research methods consist of a content analysis of state and regional legislation and strategies, social studies of stakeholders’ opinions, case studies describing market infrastructure, and economic activities as well as features of traditional lifestyles and Indigenous knowledge typical of these regions.


Resources ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 143 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sergey I. Nosov ◽  
Boris E. Bondarev ◽  
Andrey A. Gladkov ◽  
Violetta Gassiy

The compensation for losses caused to the indigenous peoples in Arctic Russia due to the industrial development of their traditional lands is an urgent question whose resolution requires development of new mechanisms and tools. The losses caused to indigenous traditional lands are part of the damage caused to the natural environment, their culture and livelihood. In the Russian Federation cultural impact assessment is a rather new tool aiming to protect indigenous peoples’ rights to lands. In this paper the authors show the applied side of the cultural assessment that is used to improve the methodology of the calculation of losses adopted by ministry of regional development in Russia in 2009. This methodology is based on the resource disposition and evaluation of traditional lands. Accordingly, compensation payments are calculated as the sum of the losses in traditional economic activities such as: reindeer herding, hunting, fishing and gathering. Such compensation is considered by authors as the elements of a benefit-sharing system. In practice, this methodology has been tested at industrial projects on alluvial diamonds in Yakutia. In this paper we look at the Polovinnya project case-study which deals with indigenous peoples of Dolgans and Evenks and argues that such a justified, understandable methodology both for indigenous peoples and subsoil user could reduce to a minimum the conflict of interests.


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.


Sibirica ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 18 (3) ◽  
pp. 92-108 ◽  
Author(s):  
Violetta Gassiy

The Arctic is one of Russia’s treasures. However, Arctic economic development means that business is invading lands that are sacred to indigenous peoples. As a rule, regional authorities are interested in tax revenues from subsoil users, prompting them to decide the culture-or-mining dilemma in favor of the latter. But this does not mean that the price of this encroachment on indigenous lands remains uncalculated. Since its establishment in 2010, Yakutia’s Ethnological Expertise Committee has developed a tool for assessing the damage caused to indigenous communities by subsoil users. The problem of getting businesses to compensate indigenous communities has yet to be solved. This article seeks answers to the problem of fair compensation methods and explores modes of partnership and cooperation on traditional lands.


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):  
Jerry P. White

Indigenous peoples have, since time immemorial, understood that water is central to the cycles of life. Yet, as many of the articles in this special issue on water in Indigenous communities point out, Indigenous peoples have real problems accessing safe water. Why? Indigenous peoples have always cared for the water and followed practices that, depending on their geography, varied by season to protect and conserve fresh safe water. They have celebrated it as witnessed by the ceremony and language used. Colonial practices have disrupted the care and knowledge passing in Indigenous communities. Cost-effective technology exists to deliver safe water to Indigenous communities. The issue is that utilization of technology and environmental sustainability rest on the social determinants of safe water. From a policy perspective, this means we have to look outside of Western technological solutions and come to listen to the other ‘story’ - the one that emanates from Indigenous Traditional Knowledge.


Resources ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (8) ◽  
pp. 95
Author(s):  
Evdokia Burtseva ◽  
Anatolii Sleptsov ◽  
Anna Bysyina ◽  
Alla Fedorova ◽  
Gavril Dyachkovskii

The main industry in the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) is the mining industry, which will continue to expand in the future. Already today there are quite a lot of investment projects for the development of minerals in the Arctic, North-West and South Yakutia, which will be implemented in the territories of indigenous minorities of the North. Indigenous Evens, Evenks, Yukaghirs make up 4.2% of the total population of the republic and are characterized by low genetic diversity, which can lead to negative consequences in relation to their health status when exposed to technogenic pollution. Purpose of the study: assessment of the state of life of indigenous minorities of the North in the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) under the conditions of a new stage of industrial development of territories of traditional nature management. The planned increasing industrial development of territories of traditional nature management can cause large-scale disturbances of the earth’s surface, depletion of biological resources, environmental pollution, which will ultimately lead to deterioration in the quality of life of the population. In order to take measures to prevent and reduce the negative impacts of industrial development of the territories of residence and traditional activities of indigenous minorities of the North, when implementing new projects, the expert commission recommends concluding a trilateral agreement on cooperation and financing of specific programs between industrial companies, government bodies of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) and authorized representatives of indigenous minorities of the North. Research area—the position of indigenous minorities of the North in the conditions of industrial development of the North, Siberia and the Far East. This study looks at the impact of industrial development on the natural environment and the traditional way of life of indigenous population. Compensation for damage to the nomadic tribal communities of reindeer herders has taken place. Only about 250 thousand representatives of 40 indigenous peoples live in these regions, who are included in the official list of indigenous minorities of the North, Siberia and the Far East.


2021 ◽  
Vol 112 ◽  
pp. 00038
Author(s):  
Sargylana Baisheva

In the Strategy of the Arctic zone of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) for the period up to 2035, an important role is given to human resources in the industrial development of the region. It was found that a whole range of factors influences the formation and use of human resources. These are an unfavorable demographic situation, migration processes associated with the outflow of the able-bodied population, a low standard of living, an unsatisfactory state of social infrastructure, transport inaccessibility, poor efficiency of public administration and impact on the development of territories inhabited by small people ethnic groups. As a result of our research, we identified indicators of a sociological assessment of labor adaptation of the economically active population and the main trends in employment against the background of problems of stability and vulnerability of indigenous communities. In general, the absence of a systematic, complex interaction between government bodies, local governments, the business community and the population itself complicates the sustainable development of the Arctic regions in the future. For the further development of the Arctic, special attention should be paid to the adaptation strategies of the aboriginal community, taking into account the personal resource.


2017 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 257-270 ◽  
Author(s):  
Violetta Gassiy ◽  
Ivan Potravny

The paper discusses the problem of the damage assessing to indigenous peoples in modern Russia in the context of industrial development in Arctic. Today the important question is the correlation of the indigenous inhabitants’ interests of the Arctic territories (the preservation of culture, traditional nature, etc.) with the objectives of companies-subsoil users. Therefore, the business’ and the indigenous peoples’ of the North cooperation mechanisms are currently researched and implemented in the industrial development of the territory, both at the primary stage of discussion, coordination of projects, and during investment project realization. The results of the social survey of the indigenous peoples made by the authors in Arctic areas are performed and analyzed in the paper. The research aims to improve the damage assessment methodology used in Russia.


Author(s):  
Е.В. РОМАНОВА ◽  
Н.В. ХАРАЙДАНОВ

В статье представлены результаты корреляционного анализа взаимосвязи показателей численности населения Арктической зоны республики и результатов традиционного хозяйствования, которые для населения являются жизнеобеспечивающими. Стратегическое развитие Арктической зоны России и в том числе Республики Саха (Якутия) нацелено на создание опорных зон развития, формирование которых должно носить комплексный характер, учитывающий и промышленное освоение территорий, и защиту уклада жизни малочисленных коренных народов Севера. При этом статистика народонаселения свидетельствует о сокращении численности населения. Поэтому в статье была принята гипотеза о взаимосвязи показателей численности населения и показателей традиционного хозяйствования, среди которых были выбраны показатели поголовья северных оленей, крупного рогатого скота и лошадей. Для анализа взаимосвязей была использована эмпирическая база статистических данных за период 2017-2019 гг. по 13-ти арктическим районам (улусам) Арктической зоны Республики Саха (Якутия). Для проведения корреляционного анализа предварительно была изучена вариация по значениям показателей. Высокий уровень вариации показателей может быть объяснен тем фактом, что территория Арктической зоны республики достаточно обширна, включает 13 муниципальных районов, для каждого из которых характерен тот или иной вид хозяйствования. Корреляционный анализ включал расчет линейных парных коэффициентов корреляции за каждый год исследуемого периода. Значения коэффициентов корреляции показали, что взаимосвязь существует и имеет умеренно-сильный характер только по показателям поголовья КРС и лошадей, а по показателю поголовья северных оленей взаимосвязь не подтвердилась. В дополнение к показателям корреляции были рассчитаны коэффициенты эластичности, которые подтвердили данные выводы. Результаты исследования могут быть использованы для повышения степени информированности органов государственной и местной власти в части разработки и реализации государственных мероприятий по освоению Севера России. The article presents the results of a correlation analysis of the relationship between the indices of the number of indigenous peoples of northern Yakutia and the results of traditional management, which are life-supporting for the population of the Arctic zone of the republic. The strategic development of the Russian Arctic zone, including the Sakha Republic (Yakutia), is aimed at creating supporting development zones, the formation of which should be of an integrated nature, taking into account both the industrial development of territories and the protection of the way of life of the indigenous peoples of the North. At the same time, the population statistics indicate a decline in the population. Therefore, the article adopted a hypothesis about the relationship between population indicators and indicators of traditional farming (the number of reindeer, cattle, and horses). To analyze the relationships, we used an empirical database of statistical data for the period 2017-2019 for 13 Arctic districts (uluses) of the Arctic zone of the Sakha Republic (Yakutia). To carry out the correlation analysis, the variation in the values ​​of the indicators was preliminarily studied. The high level of variation in indicators can be explained by the fact that the territory of the Arctic zone of the republic is quite extensive, including 13 municipal districts, each of which is characterized by one or another type of management. The correlation analysis included the calculation of linear paired correlation coefficients for each year of the study period. The values ​​of the correlation coefficients showed that the relationship exists and has a moderately strong character only in terms of the number of cattle and horses; in terms of the number of reindeer, the relationship was not confirmed. In addition to the correlation measures, elasticity coefficients were calculated, which confirmed these conclusions. The results of the study can be used to increase the awareness of state and local authorities in terms of the development and implementation of state measures for the development of the North of Russia.


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