Arctic Governance: From Theory to Practice

On December 9, 2013, Oran Young, Research Professor, Bren School of Environmental Science and Management, University of California, will give an open lecture on ‘Arctic Governance: From Theory to Practice’ at the HSE. Anna Chernyakhovskaya, Chief Content Editor of the HSE English language website asked him why this such an important issue today.

— International competition for influence in the Arctic has stepped up considerably in recent years. Russian naval forces are set to make the Arctic a priority region in 2014.What are the potential fields of collaboration for Russia and the U.S. in the Arctic?

— There are both positive and negative opportunities. Positively, we can cooperate in the areas of scientific research, innovative technologies for sustainable development, and search and rescue. Negatively, we can cooperate in avoiding provocations in the realm of security and preventing environmental disasters like oil spills.

— Why is it so important to harmonize international efforts in this region?

— The Arctic today is a zone of peace. We must cooperate to maintain peace in this increasingly important region. So long as peace is secure, we can harmonize our efforts to achieve sustainable development in the Arctic and to ensure the resilience of arctic communities.

— What can you say about the economic development of the Arctic?

— The danger is that the Arctic may be seen by outsiders as a resource frontier to be ransacked for raw materials needed by industrial societies. We must seek to devise a system of stewardship in which arctic resources are developed in a socially and environmentally sensitive manner.

‘We must seek to devise a system of stewardship in which arctic resources are developed in a socially and environmentally sensitive manner’

— How would you define the role of civil society and activists in environmental protection?

— Civil society is an important counterweight to industry in ensuring balanced development in a region like the Arctic.

— Do you have any plans to develop and expand the collaboration between the Bren School of Environmental Science & Management at UCSB and the HSE?  

— We have collaborated with IMEMO (Institute of World Economy and International Relations) and MGIMO ( Moscow State Institute for International Relations) but not with the HSE. We would welcome opportunities to work with the HSE.