Russia plans to create two new national parks on its Arctic territory by 2020, according to Special Presidential Representative for Environmental Protection, Ecology and Transport Sergei Ivanov.

"Before 2020, two new national parks will be established —Tsentralnochukotsky in the Chukotka Autonomous Area and Khibiny in the Murmansk Region as well as Medvezhyi Ostrova (Bear Islands) reserve in Yakutia," Mr Ivanov said at the conference International Cooperation in the Arctic: New Challenges and Vectors of Development."

Mr Ivanov said specially protected natural areas occupy a total of 22.5 mln hectares in Russia's Arctic zone, including 6.5 million hectares of water area. The Russian Arctic is the habitat for 80 percent of the entire region's biodiversity. This places special responsibility on Russia to preserve nature in this area, Ivanov believes.

Attending the conference are Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the State Commission for Arctic Development Dmitry Rogozin; Special Presidential Representative for Environmental Protection, Ecology and Transport Sergei Ivanov; Special Presidential Representative for International Cooperation in the Arctic and Antarctic Artur Chilingarov; Chairman of the Board of Directors at Ferring Pharmaceuticals Frederik Paulsen; executive officers of the Arctic Council from Russia, Norway and Iceland; officials from Denmark and Canada; other representatives of relevant ministries, agencies and big business; and leading experts from Arctic Council member states and observer states. The event was organized by the Russian International Affairs Council with support from the Russian Foreign Ministry.