Russian and German experts have put together a new course designed to promote sustainable development in the Arctic regions, the Tyumen State University website said.

The English-language course, Law and Policy for Sustainable Development of the Arctic Regions, was developed by a Tyumen State University assistant professor together with colleagues from the Osnabruck University of Applied Sciences and the University of Munster in Germany.    

"Today, the Arctic regions are important not only for Russia but for the entire world, as they can ensure sustainable development on a global scale. They are an environmental and geographical reserve for the world as a region of still untouched and preserved natural diversity. Climate change is making the Arctic region even more important," the press release said.  

The authors of the teaching course think that training for specialists working in the northern regions should include knowledge of the current state policy in the Arctic, laws and regulations on activity in the Arctic, and trends and particularities of developing land, environmental and natural resource legislation.

"Territorial and landscape planning is of great importance in ensuring the Arctic's sustainable development," the press release said. "This planning should define the regulations and rules concerning land and the use of natural resources, based on the region's resource and environmental possibilities. But currently, Russia's legal system does not offer clear mechanisms for environmental and landscape planning. Consequently, we need to study existing mechanisms, but also teach the next generation of specialists new legal norms for more effective regulations of land use in the Arctic."  

The course will be based on German methods of teaching and applying sustainable territorial development models.