News

The 5th meeting of the Steering Committee (StC) for the UNEP/GEF NPA-Arctic Project was convened on 24-25 March 2011 in the UN Building in Moscow, Russa. Project Office management reported on main Project achievements for its lifetime. StC members reviewed and discussed the development of Project exit strategies and a transition plan with timetable to the “Arctic Agenda 2020” Programme. Follow this link to see the detailed meeting report with annexes…

Consultative Meeting on International Programme “Russian Federation – GEF Partnership on Sustainable Environmental Management in the Arctic under a rapidly Changing Climate” (Arctic Agenda 2020) Development was held in Moscow Russa on 23 March, 2011. The purpose of the Meeting was to discuss conceptual approach to the Programme and projects included, and to coordinate further steps on the Arctic Agenda 2020 programme preparation for submitting it to the GEF Council meeting in November 2011. Follow this link to see a breef summary of the meeting with agenda and list of participants…

An Outline of the GEF - Russian Federation Partnership on Sustainable Environmental Management in the Arctic Under a Rapidly Changing Climate (“Arctic Agenda 2020”) can be find here...

Moscow, September 27, 2010. Cleaning up Franz Josef Land. Russia in 2012 intends to spend 740 million RUB on the removal of polluting waste materials from the far northern Franz Josef Land. In his speech at the conference “the Arctic – Territory of Dialogue” last week, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said that Russia will remove the waste dumps in the Arctic built over the decades БЂњnear towns and villages, mineral fields, military bases, sea ports and airports, in the tundra, [and] on islands and in the waters of the Arctic Ocean. Now, the federal government confirms that the clear-up will be materialized with fresh funding. According to the government press service, a total of 740 million RUB will in 2012 be spent on clean up operations at the Franz Josef Land, Regnum reports. The money will be spent on the removal of the about 250 thousand barrels of oil products, which pose a serious environmental threat to the local Arctic environment. In addition, about one million empty barrels, as well as old military equipment like cars, aircrafts, radar installations and more are left rusting in the area. The material all stems from the military base which in the Soviet period was based in the archipelago.

4-th meeting of the Steering Committee for the NPA-Arctic Project took place in Reykjavik, Iceland from 04 to 05 of February, 2010. Acting Project Manager S. Tambiev made progress report on the Project implementation as well as he presented progress reports on seperate project components for the period from 3rd STC meeting in Helsinki to present time. UNEP representatives introduced results of the Project Mid-Term Review. They noted positive development of the Project and efficiency of the Project Office. Important decisions were made on further project progress and its successful completion. STC members and the meeting participants highly appreciate the Project Office activities in the Project implementation and in the STC meeting preparation and holding. An official report on the 4th STC meeting can be seen here...

On 20-23 July, 2009 NPA-Arctic Project Office in cooperation with US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) and with assistance of the Ministry of Natural Resources of the Russian Federation (MNR of Russia) and ACAP Secretariat held in Moscow an International Training Workshop on Environmentally Safe Management of Hazardous Wastes, Including Occupational Health and Safety Issues. The purpose of the training was to increase trainees’ knowledge on the latest methods of ensuring environmental safety. More info here....

On 19th of June 2009 in the city of Arkhangelsk a regular session of the Maritime Board at the Government of the Russian Federation was held. The Strategic Action Program for Protection of Environment in the Arctic Zone of the Russian Federation (SAP-Arctic) prepared by the Project Office in cooperation with the Mineconomrazvitiya of Russia was submitted by Mineconomrazvitiya of Russia for consideration by the Maritime Board members. The Maritime Board approved the SAP-Arctic document and recommended federal and regional authorities and other interested parties to be governed by SAP-Arctic provisions when designing program documents applied to development of the Arctic Zone of the Russian Federation. To see an information about the Maritime Board at the Government of the Russian Federation session following this link…. To see the final English translation of approved SAP-Arctic document follow this link…

4th Meeting of Interagency Work Group of the UNEP/GEF Project was held in Moscow on 21 May 2009. The Meeting approved new release of Strategic action programme and recommended to Executing Agency submitting the SAP document to Naval Body Under the Russian Federation Government for consideration and approval. See minutes of the meeting.... (in Russian only)

3d meeting of the Steering Committee for the NPA-Arctic Project took place in Helsinki, Finland from 25 to 26 of March, 2009. The meeting considered progress report presented by project manager and made several vital decisions on further development of the Project. A draft SAP document, which was approved by the 3d IAWG meeting, was introduced to and highly appreciated by the StC members. The meeting accepted information regarding early beginning of activities on 2nd (PINS) and 3d (EPS) Project components, completed demo and pilot projects; several new pilot and demo projects to be implemented under NPA-Arctic Project has been also approved. An official meeting report uploaded here....          Photos...

29.07.2008. The Economic and Social Council of UN, at its Substantive Session of July has granted Special Consultative Status to the organization “Batani International Development Fund for Indigenous Peoples of the North, Siberian and the Far East of the Russian Federation”.

19-20 May of 2008 an International Workshop on “Climate Change Impact on Public Health in the Russian Arctic” was held in Moscow under United Nations Arctic initiatives umbrella. This was the first conference of its kind aimed at the assessment of climate change impact on public health in the Russian Arctic. Follow this link for detailed information....

11th of March 2008. Project office organised the Fifth Project Supervisory Council meeting in form of a conference call between SC members chaired by Minekonomrazvitiya of Russia. Members of the meeting discussed a Progress report till the March of 2008 introduced by the Project Manager as well as new Project Integrated Work Plan and Project budget. A detailed meeting report can be seen here.....

08th of February 2008. 2d Meeting of the Interagency Work Group of the UNEP/GEF Project was held in Moscow in a Conference Hall of the United Nations Moscow Office (28, Ostozhenka St.) under Boris Morgunov chairmanship who represented the Project Executive Agency. A photo report of this event can be seen here..... Minutes of the meeting and project manager Progress report both are available only in Russian.

25th of January 2008. Coordinating Seminar on a demo project "Environmental Co-Management by Indigenous Peoples, resource extracting companies and local authorities of the Russian North" (DEMO-COMAN) took place in a Conference Hall of the United Nations Moscow Office (28, Ostozhenka St.) Representatives of local administrations and federal authorities together with representatives of private companies and non governmental organisations and indigenous peoples organisations participated in this meeting. A photo report of this meeting is uploaded here.... A brief review together with a work plan of the demo project both can be seen only in Russian.