Advancing conservation and protecting biodiversity in the Russian Arctic

This article originally appeared in The Circle: Arctic Biodiversity: Where is it heading?. The Circle shares perspectives from across the Arctic, and the views expressed here are not necessarily those of WWF. See all Circle issues here.

The global pandemic has made it clearer than ever that nature underpins our society, economy, health and well-being—and that we need to transform our relationship with it. VICTORIA ELIAS explains how the Russian chairship of the Arctic Council can advance conservation in the region.

ICELAND HANDED the Arctic Council chairship torch to Russia in May 2021, the second year of the pandemic. The chairship began at a critical moment of
overlapping danger and opportunity: the danger of a global health challenge, economic recession and growing political tensions and instability, and the opportunity to analyze what needs to be fixed, learn important lessons and set new frameworks for sustainable development and well-being.

Ultimately, the Council’s aim is to conserve fragile Arctic ecosystems and support Arctic people. But to make a green recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic and take the next steps for Arctic ecosystems conservation, we need smart, strategic approaches, and we must engage all players in the process.

The Arctic is one of the world’s most rapidly changing regions, suffering from amplified climate change effects while also trying to cope with a growing global rush for resources, new routes, attractions and opportunities. It needs wise and careful, balanced and visionary stewardship that includes policies and commitments to advance its sustainable development, shield its ecosystems, dramatically reduce growing pressures and support and sustain its communities.

Priorities for the chairship

The programme of the Russian chairship from 2021 to 2023 is built on four main pillars: people, including Indigenous Peoples; environmental protection, including climate change; socio-economic development; and strengthening of the Arctic Council. Achieving practical outcomes and delivering measurable results to ensure the conservation of Arctic ecosystems and biodiversity will require persistent attention to all four areas.

A window of opportunity is opening now with the Russian chairship’s plans to strengthen marine cooperation in the region. Wildlife do not recognize borders. Decision-makers, practitioners and Arctic peoples must support a comprehensive, science-based approach to conservation planning and implementation on a circumpolar scale to achieve real results now and ensure the resilience of Arctic nature into the future.

ArcNet, an Arctic Ocean network of Priority Areas for Conservation, represents such an approach, and has been gaining attention recently, including through the support of the Russian chairship. Implementing ArcNet will require coordinated action across the region. Appropriate management
regimes can and should be identified and established for the priority conservation areas that have been mapped by experts for the whole Arctic.

Coordinated measures needed

Beyond the important and timely designation of marine protected areas, this work should include the creation of specific seasonal and spatial regulations for wildlife breeding and feeding areas, shipping speed control zones, special priority ecosystems management regimes and voluntary business commitments and actions, among other effective area-based conservation measures. For example, whitefish fisheries in Russia’s Barents Sea have voluntarily committed to avoid disturbing vulnerable and sensitive ocean-bottom habitats during their trawling operations to conserve priority ecosystems.

Measures like these should be coordinated across sectors and throughout the Arctic. The chairship has called for the development of a marine spatial planning approach to ensure well-coordinated results. This is resonating well with the approach that WWF–Russia has been promoting for many years in the Russian Arctic and which has been successfully implemented in the Baltic and several other regions of the world. Balancing interests and coordinating the actions of stakeholders and interested parties—while ensuring that priority conservation areas are protected—can offer a way forward in the rapidly developing and changing Arctic.

The Arctic Council Russian chairship views WWF as a strategic partner in this endeavour. We look forward to achieving ambitious results if the chairship and members can provide frameworks for coordinated approaches, seek solutions for advancing governance and stewardship, and jointly and individually care for the unique and fragile diversity of life at all levels in the coming years. Together, we can ensure the recovery, survival and prosperity of the fragile and beautiful Arctic.

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VICTORIA ELIAS is the conservation director for WWF–Russia and chair of the WWF Arctic Programme Steering Committee.