Nature-Like Technologies to Meet the Needs of the Arctic

It is imperative for us to explore and utilise the Arctic. If we don't explore it, then somebody else will — Andrey Fursenko, Aide to the President of the Russian Federation.

[The Arctic — Ed.] recovery is difficult and takes time. When contemplating the Arctic development, we must be clear on the kinds of technologies we are to bring there. Nature-like technologies preserve the natural resource turnover — Mikhail Kovalchuk, President of Kurchatov Institute National Research Centre.

The Arctic is a structure that determines the climate and the future of the Earth. Shattering it is easy, regaining it would be challenging if not impossible — Andrey Fursenko, Aide to the President of the Russian Federation.

The Arctic is a territory of total innovation — Dmitry Kobylkin, Minister of Natural Resources and Environment of the Russian Federation.

We are the only country in the world that has nuclear-powered icebreakers <...>. We have unique nuclear technologies — Mikhail Kovalchuk, President of Kurchatov Institute National Research Centre.

In the next 10 years, we are to complete the transition to a closed fuel cycle — Vyacheslav Ruksha, Deputy Director General - Director for the Northern Sea Route Directorate, State Atomic Energy Corporation ROSATOM.

Energy is the key for exploration. But energy [in the Arctic – Ed.] is very specific. There is no consumer for a major power generation. It should be distributed in low power capacities — Mikhail Kovalchuk, President of Kurchatov Institute National Research Centre.

An integrated approach to security issues, including the improvement of existing measures is a priority — Georgiy Fokin, Chief Executive Officer, Gazprom Transgaz St. Petersburg.

Inevitably, the climate is changing, the coastline is drifting, only state-of-the-art technologies can make the Arctic exploration effective — Alexey Rakhmanov, United Shipbuilding Corporation President .

Exploration of hydrocarbons and equipment for the shelf development: we must attain independence here by 2021 considering sanctions pressure on our energy companies — Oleg Ryazantsev, Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation.

We have established the Association of Underwater Mining Units and a cluster for the development of underwater mining equipment — Vladimir Dorofeev, Chief Executive Officer, St.Petersburg Marine Design Bureau Malachite.

Our main focus is on the Leader icebreaker. <...> It will escort vessels in the eastern part of the Arctic round-the-clock — Oleg Ryazantsev, Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation.

Cold-resistant high-strength steels are the key pillar we are focusing on right now — Oleg Ryazantsev, Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation.

Today, Prometey has started developing industry-first materials, about 30 types of steels with a special chemical composition, absolutely non-corrosive, high-strength and cheap since their nickel content is a few times lower — Alexey Oryshchenko, Director General, National Research Centre ‘Kurchatov Institute’ – Prometey Central Research Institute of Structural Materials.

We have been running the Arctic programme for 5 years now. The programme covers all areas: biodiversity, the degradation of materials in actual Arctic conditions, the issues of adaptation of the indigenous peoples of the North to technological progress, non-trivial issues of radio communications, the development of cognitive technologies. Issues of the Arctic development call for a systemic approach based on big data — Vladislav Panchenko, Chairman of the Board, Russian Foundation for Basic Research (RFBR).

The logistic development of the Arctic is essential for lifting off infrastructural restrictions on the economic growth — Alexander Dynkin, President, Primakov National Research Institute of World Economy and International Relations, Russian Academy of Sciences.

We have a proven track record of cooperation. For more than a decade and a half, we have jointly taken on the monumental task of the disposal of decommissioned nuclear submarines and icebreakers in the Arctic in close cooperation with the world leading countries — Mikhail Kovalchuk, President of Kurchatov Institute National Research Centre.