Russia on the Arctic Council. St. Petersburg's Potential

A conference aimed at promoting St. Petersburg as a hub for innovation-led development and exploration of the Arctic took place on 17 September.

The Russian Federation’s upcoming chairmanship of the Arctic Council was the key theme of the congress recently held in St. Petersburg. Held on the initiative of the St. Petersburg Committee on Arctic Affairs, the event was held in a format unusual for the year 2020, in-person attendance.

“St. Petersburg is a major industrial hub and centre of science that has promoted Arctic exploration from the beginning”, Vice Governor of St. Petersburg Eduard Batanov noted at the opening ceremony. “St. Petersburg’s history is closely associated with legendary Arctic expeditions, industrial developments in the Arctic Region, and conservation of its nature and indigenous cultures. In recent times, the city has increasingly emerged as the prime mover in the development of Russia’s Arctic regions”.

The business programme included a plenary meeting and two theme-specific sessions. Concurrently, the multimedia show Touch the Arctic opened at the Russia Is My History museum and exhibition centre.

“Although we are not an Arctic region, St. Petersburg is the de facto coordinating centre for Arctic research and exploration. Our city has built up a wealth of pertinent expertise that will assist in consolidating Russia’s leadership in the Arctic”, concluded Eduard Batanov.