Economic vs climate strategy face-off in the Russian Arctic

Russian climate doctrine and strategy include climate change as one of the biggest 21st century challenges especially socio-economic development of the Arctic region with both opportunities and risks (Drachkova et al., 2023, Kremlin, 2020). The Arctic is warming twice as fast as other areas with reduced snow cover, reduced permafrost, increased precipitation. Sea ice is… Read More Economic vs climate strategy face-off in the Russian Arctic

A regulatory shhh across Arctic coastal ecosystems?

Alongside the Arctic Ocean, the Barents, White, Kara, Laptev, East Siberian and Chukchi seas are marine ecosystems including seabeds, ocean floor and subsoils. Increases in drilling of the continental shelf increases environmental impact. Yakovleva noted the most common issues are emissions, oil / oil product spills, pollution, waste (including metals, radioactive, plastic etc ), and… Read More A regulatory shhh across Arctic coastal ecosystems?

Space-Time irregularities in the Siberian troposphere

Air circulation in Russia has been changing in particular the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) influence, affected by global temperature increases. Extreme weather in 2020 produced 372 events causing significant damage to Russia’s economy and population.1 Regional climate changes have greater space-time irregularities most commonly surface air temperatures rising faster in high latitudes. However this changes… Read More Space-Time irregularities in the Siberian troposphere

Why do people move in, out and around Siberia?

Researchers looked at the ‘impact of environmental and anthropogenic factors on the migration of the rural Arctic population of Western Siberia’. They focused on the Yamal–Nenets Autonomous Okrug. They analysed long-term migration data collected from surveys and interviews between 2012 and 2021, Rosstat and other Russian databases including open-source platforms. Districts included Nadymsky, Yamalsky, Tazovsky,… Read More Why do people move in, out and around Siberia?

Less fizz, more plants – acids and eutrophication in Arctic lakes

Russian researchers identified acidification of lakes during 1990s in Murmansk, Karelia, Archangelsk and Vologda regions and found up to 5% of lakes have acidification due to human causes in humid areas of European Russia and West Siberia. Nornickel was identified as the main contributor of sulphur dioxide SO2 in Kola and Norilsk areas. However since… Read More Less fizz, more plants – acids and eutrophication in Arctic lakes

Permafrost and cryogenic monitoring in the western Russian Arctic.

Permafrost is currently analysed by reviewing temperatures at different layers compared with air and ground surface temperatures, depth of freezing and thawing, as well as overall coverage including snow and vegetation. Mean annual air temperature (MAAT) and mean annual ground temperatures (MAGT) are a widely used source of analysis with the practical measurements being completed… Read More Permafrost and cryogenic monitoring in the western Russian Arctic.