President Dmitri Medvedev is shaping Russian Arctic policy. BarentsObserver has compiled the comprehensive list of Russian future investment and activity plans in the Arctic.
Several years ago Russia announced a start of new policy in the Arctic seeing in it as one of the main resource base of 21 century.
Nevertheless up to recently the practical actions in development the Arctic policy seemed more demonstrative, often theatrical, sometimes provocative and chaotic than sensible and systematic. Russia threatened the world by a possibility of establishing a special military alignment, pulled down the national flag on the ocean bottom on the Northern Pole, discussed international plot in order to oust others from the Arctic.
The noisy fuss around Arctic issues has however been calmed down after the official adoption in September 2008 of the document called “Fundamentals of the State Policy in the Arctic for the Period Before 2020 and a Longer Perspective”. Nowadays on the eve of the state visit of the Russian President to one of the main Arctic player, Norway, the Russian policy looks much more rational and balanced.
The IPY Oslo Science conference, the 'largest gathering of polar scientists ever' officially opens on Tuesday June 6 th, just days away. This will be a major milestone in the EALÁT project and will see the largest gathering of EALÁT researchers and partners since the EALÁT consortium meeting in January 2009. A full and packed EALÁT event list will continue over the full conference. The International Centre for Reindeer Husbandry will be playing a role thoughout the week.
While the world has heard a lot about the impact of the Icelandic volcano on air traffic and the economy, what about its impact on Iceland's reindeer?
Chair of the Association of World Reindeer Herders has wrapped up several days in New York attending the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues in New York. Pogodaev worked closely with Forum member Lars Anders Baer who presented to the Forum a 'Study on the impact of climate change adaptation mitigation measures on reindeer herding'. (Download 
