The International Winter School for Arctic Studies has started in Veliky Novgorod, Russia. It brought together researchers and experts from China, Finland, Russia, India, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, and the USA

The International Winter School for Arctic Studies has gathered in Veliky Novgorod young researchers and experts from China, Finland, Russia, India, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, and the USA.

The Winter School programme will run until 8 February. Young scientists, namely undergraduate and postgraduate students of political science, international relations, ecology, law, and journalism from India, Kazakhstan, China, Russia, and Indonesia, as well as experts from India, China, Russia, the USA, and Finland are taking part in five-panel discussions on topical issues of the Arctic region, the press service of the Project Office for Arctic Development reports.

Chairperson of the Managing Board of the Project Office for Arctic Development, speaking to the participants of the Winter School, stressed that the role of the BRICS countries in international Arctic cooperation is coming to the fore.

Western partners have stopped supplying equipment and technologies, and Russia has had to reorient itself to completely new markets for both sales and technology supplies over the past two years. In this regard, multilateral cooperation in the Arctic, and above all the role of the BRICS countries, is undoubtedly coming to the fore, the Chairperson said.

According to the expert, the BRICS countries are heterogeneous in their attitude towards Arctic projects.

It is obvious to all of us how strong China's Arctic programme is. India, because of the Himalayas, is interested in developing the concept of "Three Poles" [a concept encompassing the Arctic, Antarctica, and the Himalayas - ed] and in a comprehensive study of permafrost soils. Arab countries are interested in developing logistics routes, the expert believes.

Source: TASS

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