The plenary session "Arctic 2050: the Future begins today" was held within the framework of the XV International Forum "Arctic: Present and Future". Andrey Chibis, Governor of the Murmansk Region and Chairman of the State Council Commission on the Northern Sea Route and the Arctic, delivered a keynote address. Opening his speech, Andrey Chibis cited data confirming the exceptional role of the Arctic for the country: the Arctic regions, where less than 2% of the population lives, account for up to 10% of Russia's GDP. About 80% of the country's gas, 10% of its oil, and almost 100% of its nickel, rare earth metals, platinoids, and apatite ores are mined here.
"When we were working on how to ensure that by 2050 the Arctic would not only remain ours, as it is today, but also become powerfully developed, we came to the conclusion that the development of the Arctic for the Russian Federation, taking into account its geopolitical importance, resources, and the actively developing new maritime transport corridor, is a task of the development level. space for the Soviet Union. This may well claim to be a national idea of the 21st century. The Arctic is vital for us in terms of the country's geopolitical security and connectivity. In the north, this link is provided by the Northern Sea Route, and from the south by the railway artery, the Trans–Siberian Railway, which connects the European part of Russia, Siberia and the Far East. These two highways ensure the integrity of our state. All the existing foreign policy threats only add to the need for even more active development of the Arctic macroregion. And, of course, the longest maritime border runs through the Arctic, we understand the scale of responsibility: the Arctic is almost a third of the country's territory," said Andrey Chibis.
The governor outlined the systemic problems hindering development: unprecedented sanctions pressure, the militarization of the global Arctic after Finland and Sweden joined NATO, as well as a systemic decline in the population of the Russian Arctic with an increase in numbers abroad.
As a response to these challenges, Andrey Chibis, based on the results of the comprehensive work of the relevant commission of the State Council with the participation of the Maritime Board, presented the presidential project "The Arctic and the Transarctic Transport Corridor".
The project will combine five key areas: security, development of mineral resource centers, creation of a world-class transport corridor, science and innovation of a comfortable environment for life and ecology.
Speaking about the future of the region, the governor noted that the Murmansk Region is already showing positive dynamics: in 2023, for the first time in 35 years, migration growth was recorded. By 2050, the region should become not only an industrial base, but a full-fledged center of Arctic competencies.
/Ministry of Information Policy of the Murmansk Region