The Russian Academy of Sciences and the organizers of the Clean Arctic project have announced an unprecedented expedition to the Arctic Circle, a first in 40 years.
During the expedition, specialists of the Russian Academy of Sciences will explore the tundra, permafrost soils, create maps with industrial sites of the Soviet era and the current transport infrastructure, sgnorilsk.ru reports.
Special attention will be paid to the problem of microplastics in the waters of the Russian North.
The Clean Arctic project was launched in 2019. Its eco-activists prepared over 50 thousand tons of waste for processing, including machinery, fuel, building materials and other garbage that got into the Arctic during its development.
The importance of implementing such initiatives for the Arctic was noted by the First Deputy Head of the Presidential Administration of the Russian Federation Sergey Kiriyenko.
"Everyone who has ever been to the Arctic regions understands how they have been littered since Soviet times. Directing the attention of Russians to such things is, of course, about environmental education. I flew to the forum from Norilsk. And when you go to the outskirts of the city – not only this one, but also other northern cities – you see how much waste is left here that harms the environment and climate," Kiriyenko said, speaking at the All–Russian Youth Forum "Ecosystem. The reserved land".
According to him, the cleanliness of the northern regions is a strategic priority of the state and the companies that are engaged in production here. However, the responsibility for the cleanliness of cities also lies with the people who live, study and work here. It is important and necessary for them to get involved in tackling the pollution of Arctic territories, be motivated and undergo extensive educational work.
The Federation Council highly appreciated the contribution of Norilsk Nickel to the implementation of the Clean Arctic project.
Alex Shishlo for Rough&Polished
