The Joint Russian-Norwegian Commission on Environmental Protection met for its 18^th session on December 2. The Russian delegation was led by Denis Khramov, Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Environment, and the Norwegian delegation by Lars Andreas Lunde, Deputy Minister of Climate and Environment.

The sides agreed to continue cooperation in management, monitoring and research of the Barents Sea polar bear population.

The sides plan to take a new count of the Barents Sea polar bear population. The updated statistics will underlie measures to manage the population with due consideration for current circumstances and are an important part of the Circumpolar Action Plan to conserve polar bears, adopted by countries party to the Agreement on the Conservation of Polar Bears in September 2015.

The Norwegian side took a polar bear count in summer 2015, and preliminary results are expected by the end of the year. The sides discussed the possibility of organising a count in Russia.

Mr Khramov said that intensified economic activity in northern areas dictated the need to preserve the flagship species that indicate changes in eco-systems, above all the Barents Sea polar bear population. “More attention should be focused on projects to eliminate the environmental damage caused by economic activity in northern areas in the previous years,” he said.

Mr Lunde in turn said that Russia and Norway were particularly responsible for careful and sustainable use of Barents Sea resources. He said climate change made the environment more vulnerable and increased the burden on eco-systems, which raised the significance of ecological restrictions.

The sides will continue dialogue on the issue, including in the framework of the Joint Russian-Norwegian Commission on Environmental Protection.