MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 20th May, 2021) Russia will work on its environmental monitoring system and contribute to the Arctic region's process of adjustment to global climate change, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Thursday.
"It is important to focus on preserving the biodiversity in the Arctic, its unique ecosystem, and preventing marine and land pollution. We are ready and believe that it is important to develop practical cooperation to jointly respond to these and other challenges," Lavrov said on the sidelines of the 12th Arctic Council ministerial meeting in Reykjavik.
Ensuring sustainable and safe maritime activities in the Arctic is also of particular importance, the top Russian diplomat added.
"Maritime shipping is rapidly developing and contributes to diversifying transport routes between the Atlantic and the Asia-Pacific regions. The Arctic is playing an increasing role in global energy security and in overall efforts to move toward a climate-neutral economy," Lavrov noted.
The foreign minister also pointed to the financial aspect of the Arctic environmental cooperation.
"We believe it is important to decide on the modalities of a mechanism for financing project activities aimed at reducing the environmental pollution in the Arctic and developing practical environmental cooperation between the Arctic states," Lavrov stressed.
Russia is one of the five countries that border the Arctic along with Canada, Denmark, Norway and the United States. Over two million Russian citizens live in the region, making Russia the largest arctic country in terms of population. Russia is also the only country that possesses a nuclear-powered icebreaker fleet, which allows it to use the shortest trade route from Europe to Asia � the Northern Sea Route � regardless of seasonal changes.
Earlier on Thursday, Russia assumed the two-year chairmanship of the Arctic Council, which was established in 1996 as a high-level intergovernmental forum promoting cooperation in the region with a focus on environmental protection.
The council includes Canada, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Russia, Sweden, and the United States.
