Think Arctic — Think Global Session Addresses Common BRICS Arctic Agenda

Participants of the session ‘Prospects for Cooperation in the Sustainable Development of the Arctic within BRICS’, held as part of the Think Arctic — Think Global international project in Moscow, discussed the outlook for BRICS member nations to collaborate on joint projects in the Arctic.

Current events lend especial relevance to the establishment of a common BRICS agenda for working together in the Arctic in mining, agriculture, supporting indigenous peoples, and protecting fragile ecosystems. The session was attended by experts and representatives of the scientific community from Russia, Brazil, India, China, and South Africa and was moderated by Anastasia Likhacheva, dean of the Faculty of World Economy and International Affairs at the National Research University Higher School of Economics.

“We believe that cooperation in the Arctic region must be constructed in a sustainable way by like-minded people with shared strategic interests in the region. Such cooperation could make use of a variety of integration associations like BRICS, the SCO, or other possible formats. The weakening of the Arctic Council increases the importance of alternative formats. Any type of cooperation is capable of contributing to the common cause in a meaningful way. Increased military activity in the Arctic region by non-Arctic NATO member states clearly unconcerned by the need to preserve peace, stability, and constructive engagement in the region concerns us,” Ambassador-at-Large of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Nikolay Korchunov said.

Mention was made during the session that the development of the economy, transport, science, inter-university cooperation, the climate, and the issue of indigenous peoples all held promise as areas for Russia and other BRICS countries to collaborate on under the Arctic agenda. According to Korchunov, Russia sees the opportunity for multilateral cooperation in light of the forthcoming chairmanship of the Russian Federation in this integration format in 2024. The participants also touched upon the important role the Arctic region plays in ensuring energy, transport, and food security for BRICS member states.

Professor of the School of Law and Political Science and Executive Director of the Research Institute of Polar Politics and Law at Ocean University of China Guo Peiqing identified scientific research as a possible area for collaboration among BRICS nations in the Arctic. He stressed the need for a mechanism for cooperating in the Arctic within BRICS. “We can work together to create a new mechanism,” Peiqing said.

In turn, Professor Tianming Gao of Harbin Engineering University expressed the opinion that innovative and technical support was essential to developing the Arctic region in a sustainable way. Senior Fellow at the Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defence Studies and Analysis Uttam Kumar Sinha said India was willing to explore different approaches to developing the Arctic, though more inclusiveness would be needed to make it happen, with specialists from more Asian countries, including China, India, and Singapore having to get involved. The approach would make new models of governance potentially very significant in light of the current situation with the Arctic Council.

The results of the session will be included in an analytical report on international cooperation in matters concerning sustainable development between Russia and the Arctic and non-Arctic states, which will be prepared as part of the Think Arctic — Think Global project.

The Think Arctic — Think Global project is being implemented jointly by the Roscongress Foundation and the HSE Centre for Comprehensive European and International Studies. Its goal is to promote the Russian agenda in matters concerning sustainable development, strengthen a constructive international dialogue, and offer new points of contact for Russia’s collaboration in high latitudes with all interested countries and organizations.