Next year, an automated analysis system to predict and prevent environmental hazards on a regional and local level will go into operation in the Yamal-Nenets Autonomous Area, the regional administration said on its website.

The system is part of a major scientific research project to monitor the environmental situation in the area and has been running over the past three years under the district Environmental Protection 2014-2020 state program.

The system was developed in 2012-2013 to monitor and forecast changes in the environmental situation in the area. Forecasts are based on observations at integrated environmental monitoring posts covering all natural zones characteristic of the region (northern and southern Arctic tundra, forest tundra, northern taiga, foothills and midlands). As of now, data from monitoring posts and the results of local environmental monitoring from license areas are integrated into a single information and analysis system, which makes it possible to assess the environmental situation throughout the autonomous area.

According to the Yamal-Nenets Autonomous Area's Department for Natural Resources Management, Forests and the Development of the Oil and Gas Complex, the territorial coverage of the environmental monitoring system is expanding. In 2014, license sections subject to environmental monitoring accounted for 13.5 percent of the Area's total territory. In 2016, their share is due to increase to 70 percent.

Monitoring results show that the environmental situation within the bounds of license sections in the Yamal-Nenets Autonomous Area is satisfactory.