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THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OF THE NORTHERN REGIONS OF THE USSR, UNITED STATES, CANADA, NORWAY AND DENMARK (GREENLAND) IS EXAMINED WITH REFERENCE TO THE POSSIBLE SOURCES AND TIMING OF DEVELOPMENT IN EACH STATE. THE CONCLUSION IS THAT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FOR THESE ARCTIC LITTORAL STATES IS EXTRAORDINARILY DEPENDENT UPON THE DEVELOPMENT OF NON-RENEWABLE NATURAL RESOURCES - ESPECIALLY PETROLEUM HYDROCARBONS - AND, TO A LESSER EXTENT, CERTAIN RENEWABLE RESOURCES. IN ADDITION, CURRENT WORLD PRICES FOR THE RELEVANT RESOURCES ARE SUFFICIENTLY LOW THAT DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITY IN EACH STATE RANGES FROM MODERATE TO MODEST: AS LONG AS PRICES REMAIN AT THESE LEVELS, THE CURRENT TIMING AND PACE OF DEVELOPMENT IS NOT LIKELY TO INCREASE. NOTE: ARTICLE IS PRINTED IN FRENCH

The need for accelerated social and economic development of the Arctic as a priority geostrategic territory of the Russian Federation requires a special approach to the issues of incomes of the population of the Arctic regions, and, above all, to the social criterion. Foreign experience in formation of minimum consumer budgets, domestic developments in this area and methodological principles of its formation used for a living wage have determined the priorities in choosing a social criterion. The key role in addressing this issue is played by the system of low-income consumer budgets (the subsistence minimum (SM) and the socially acceptable (recovery) consumer budget, which exceeds the subsistence minimum by about 3 times) within the framework of the general classification of the system of normative consumer budgets developed by the scientific school of the All-Russian Center for Living Standards. The methodological basis for formation of a socially acceptable consumer budget is determined by the provisions based on the recovery level of population consumption in conjunction with low incomes and taking into account the satisfaction of material, spiritual and social needs, a variety of consumer properties and benefits, as well as the impact on the consumption characteristics of the natural, climatic, economic, social and other special factors of the Arctic. Important for the social criterion qualities — validity and transparency — are ensured through application of the normative method of forming a socially acceptable consumer basket, which includes sets of food products, non-food goods and services. The normative socially acceptable consumer budget is differentiated by the specific of consumption of different categories of the population that is reflected in the structure and volume of consumption. The size of the socially acceptable consumer budget is determined by the cost of the consumer basket, as well as expenses on savings and mandatory payments and fees. Regional differences in the factors influencing the formation of a socially acceptable consumer budget cause territorial diversity in the level of the indicator in the Arctic zone.

This paper describes a long-term simulation of an environmental monitoring system. This innovative approach combines harvesting-aware power management with primary batteries used as a back-up. It significantly extends the operational life of the device, while avoiding loss of data due to insufficient solar energy during winter in the harsh Arctic environment. The simulation considers the device to be located in the Arctic environment. Its main operation modes involve measurement from sensor interface, data storage and transmission. To perform an effective data-for-energy exchange, the device is controlled by a fuzzy energy management strategy. The new structure of the fuzzy rule-based system independently controls two separate variables related to data collection and the operation of a data buffer. The simulator uses meteorological data from Inuvik, Northwest Territories, Canada, to estimate the amount of energy available for solar harvesting. This site, located above the polar circle, receives very limited amounts of solar radiation during winter. Operation of the device is evaluated over a two-year period. The simulation results are described both numerically and using time-series plots of energy- and data-related variables. The performance is adequate for unsupervised operation of the system with annual maintenance visits to replace batteries. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5755/j01.eee.20.7.8020

The Master Thesis considers the current internal Russian political discourse concerning the national geopolitical positions in the Arctic region and the prospects of Russian geopolitical and real (economic, military, strategic) presence in the region. The very process of elaboration and formulation of the geopolitical images, ideas and notions regarding the Arctic issue within the Russian geopolitical agenda is under research. The recently emerged theory of critical geopolitical (or post-geopolitics) has been chosen as a theoretical ground for the thesis as a theory that permits to examine the very inner political discourse on the problem that is elaborated by the statesmen, political elite, officials and geopolitical experts. Similarly, the discourse analysis was implemented as an effective method of text assessment and interpretation of senses contained within the texts on the issue of Russian geopolitical factor in the Arctic exploration. Keywords: geopolitics, critical geopolitics, critical approach, geopolitical factor, geopolitical discourse, internal political discourse, discourse analysis, the Arctic region, the Arctic Ocean, the Northern territories, Russian geopolitical agenda, Russian policy in the Arctic, Russian exploration of the Arctic.

"The transfer of knowledge is a key issue in the North as Indigenous people meet the ongoing need for adaptation in their habitat. In eight essays, experts survey critical issues surrounding the knowledge practices of the Inuit of northern Canada and Greenland and the Northern Sámi of Scandinavia. Reflecting the ongoing work of the Research Group Circumpolar Cultures, these multidisciplinary essays offer fresh insights through history and across geography as scholars analyze cultural, ecological, and political aspects of peoples in transition. Traditions, Traps and Trends is an important book for students and scholars in anthropology and ethnography and for everyone interested in the Circumpolar North. Contributors: Cunera Buijs, Frédéric Laugrand, Barbara Helen Miller, Thea Olsthoorn, Jarich Oosten, Willem Rasing, Kim van Dam, Nellejet Zorgdrager."--

The article is devoted to the approaches to achieve sustainable development of the Arctic territories. Measuring sustainability is one of the important aspects in the formation of state and corporate policies. Sustainable development of the region requires to solve three issues: 1) to improve the quality of life of the population; 2) to reduce social inequality; 3) to reduce the anthropogenic pressure on ecosystems. The article analyzes two author's methods: compiling a sustainable development rating of the Russian Federation's regions, fully or partially included in the Arctic zone of the Russian Federation, and companies operating in the Arctic zone of the Russian Federation (Polar Index); development of a sustainable development rating for the regions and companies of the Barents Euro-Arctic Region (Barents-Polar Index). These studies will be useful to representatives of companies and the leadership of the Russian regions to move towards sustainable development based on the "green" economy.

The article discusses the features of the reproduction of the population in the Arctic region in the post-Soviet period and in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. A retrospective analysis of the population dynamics is carried out and the factors of the population change in the post-Soviet period are identified. There is noted a significant impact of the economic development and social well-being level of the territory on the change in demographic indicators that determine the positive vector and scales of both natural and, in some years, mechanical population growth. The factors affecting the spread of COVID-19 in the Arctic subject of the Russian Federation — Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug, and the level of mortality and morbidity from coronavirus, their impact on the population reproduction over two years of the pandemic has been identified, based on the characteristics of the socio-economic and demographic development, the geographical location of the region and its municipalities. The role of the coronavirus pandemic as the main source of excess mortality in 2020-2021, and the dependence of the morbidity and mortality of the population on the age structure, the characteristics of the spread of coronavirus infection, the impact of the population level and geographic location are examined. There are identified intra-regional differences and local areas having their own specifics, both in socio-economic and demographic terms, and features of the pandemic spread. The hypothesis about the role of older ages of 60+ as the main risk group in determining the rate of spread and the number of deaths due to the coronavirus has been empirically confirmed. Analysis of the statistical data on the dynamics of morbidity and mortality in the period under review made it possible to identify the cyclicity of the waves of the first and second indicators in time from the lowest level to the peak, the duration of which was eight months.

The characteristics of the development of anthropogenically induced processes in the land waters of the Arctic basin, such as eutrophication, acidification and toxic pollution in a changing climate, are characterized. The main changes in ecosystems and periods of occurrence of the most dangerous situations are shown. The criteria for diagnosing adverse processes and the need to tighten water quality standards for the waters of the Arctic regions are substantiated.

The legal regulations on environmental issues that arise in the Arctic due to intensive exploitation of its oil and gas resources need to be explored. There are gaps in environmental regulations over the Arctic region both at international and domestic levels. For Russia, at least two basic problems can be seen in the legal norms: the absence of a coherent approach to the Arctic environmental legislation and policy, and the need to develop effective mechanisms of environmental protection in the process of the Arctic development. In recent years, the Arctic states have expanded legislation on the Arctic issues. Currently, the most effective legal instruments targeting the protection of the fragile Arctic environment have been created by the Arctic countries. The introduction of a system of integrated environmental management is the first step that should be taken. Deep scientific research should be the obligatory foundation of any Arctic project. Moreover, much attention should be paid to the analysis of biological diversity preservation schemes. Lastly, special laws are needed in Russia to ensure: the regulation, prevention, and response to pollution by oil and other containments; the protection and rational use of Arctic resources; and the conservation of the Arctic marine areas and natural landmarks. These ideas are based on a comparative analysis of the legal rules contained within the laws of Norway, Canada, and the United States.

The legal regulations on environmental issues that arise in the Arctic due to intensive exploitation of its oil and gas resources need to be explored. There are gaps in environmental regulations over the Arctic region both at international and domestic levels. For Russia, at least two basic problems can be seen in the legal norms: the absence of a coherent approach to the Arctic environmental legislation and policy, and the need to develop effective mechanisms of environmental protection in the process of the Arctic development. In recent years, the Arctic states have expanded legislation on the Arctic issues. Currently, the most effective legal instruments targeting the protection of the fragile Arctic environment have been created by the Arctic countries. The introduction of a system of integrated environmental management is the first step that should be taken. Deep scientific research should be the obligatory foundation of any Arctic project. Moreover, much attention should be paid to the analysis of biological diversity preservation schemes. Lastly, special laws are needed in Russia to ensure: the regulation, prevention, and response to pollution by oil and other containments; the protection and rational use of Arctic resources; and the conservation of the Arctic marine areas and natural landmarks. These ideas are based on a comparative analysis of the legal rules contained within the laws of Norway, Canada, and the United States.