Participants in a plenary meeting of The Arctic: Territory of Dialogue 5th International Forum discussed environmental safety and the frugal use of natural resources. The discussion involved President of Russia Vladimir Putin, President of the Republic of Finland Sauli Niinisto, President of the Republic of Iceland Gudni Thorlacius Johannesson, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Norway Erna Solberg and Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Sweden Stefan Lofven.

“The Arctic offers us immense challenges. And we can only respond effectively if we do it together,” Vladimir Putin said.  

 “One such challenge, as I have told you, is to maintain balance between economic development and preservation of the Arctic environment, conservation of its unique and fragile ecosystems, and, of course, clean-up of the environmental damage accumulated through the economic activity in the past decades. Starting in 2012, we have removed and utilised over 80,000 metric tonnes of waste,” he added.

“We will … develop a system of specially protected natural territories and reserves. It is important to take additional measures to develop civilised ecotourism and build the required infrastructure there,” he noted.

Other participants agreed with the need to introduce new environmentally friendly technologies for preserving Arctic nature.

“It goes without saying that climate change is the main concern linked with the Arctic,” Sauli Niinisto said.

The main solutions include the reduction of carbon dioxide emissions into the atmosphere, he noted.

Iceland will soon assume chairmanship of the Arctic Council. According to Gudni Thorlacius Johannesson, his country will focus on bio-economics. This will make it possible to reduce pollution, to strengthen the economy and to support the development of society, he added.