Context

The vast ecosystems of Arctic Russia are among the last remaining wilderness areas of the world.

They serve as the nursery or feeding ground for millions of migratory birds and mammals from the Asian, African and European continents in addition to their stationary flora and fauna.

Ecosystems in the Russian Arctic also act as drivers of global climate systems, atmospheric gas exchange, and the ocean current system, and provide subsistence for indigenous peoples.

Ecosystems in the Russian Arctic are currently threatened by serious pressures, resulting from shifts in administrative systems, poor control of local economic development in the face of global demand for Arctic natural resources, and climate change.

What is Integrated Ecosystem Management?

The recognition of interactions between ecological, social and economic systems and collaborative management is commonly termed the “integrated ecosystem management approach” or simply “ecosystem approach”.

In this approach, government authorities, indigenous peoples, industry representatives, and environmental organizations work together to assess problems and find solutions.

In 2000, the COP 5 of the Convention on Biological Diversity adopted the ecosystem approach as the primary framework for action under the Convention.