Trondheim (Norway) has hosted the first meeting of the working subgroup for the conservation of the polar bear population and of the working group for cooperation in biodiversity, which were established as part of the Joint Russian-Norwegian Commission on Environmental Protection, the Russian Natural Resources and Environment Ministry's website reported.

The discussion covered the conservation, detailed study and monitoring of the Barents Sea polar bear population. The meeting resulted in the development of a draft plan of joint work for polar bear protection in 2017-2018.

The parties exchanged information and coordinated the 2017-2018 action plan on different species — the black-backed gull, walrus and other animals inhabiting the Barents Sea region — which are indicators of climate change in the Arctic region.

Special attention was given to cooperation in the Pasvik-Inari cross-border specially protected natural area.

Russia was represented at the meeting by a delegation consisting of representatives from the Natural Resources and Environment Ministry, the Federal Service for Supervision of Natural Resources, Russian Arctic National Park, the Pasvik State Nature Reserve, the Kandalaksha State Nature Reserve, the Murmansk Marine Biological Institute and WWF Russia.

The Norwegian delegation included representatives of the Ministry of Climate and Environment, the Norwegian Environment Agency and the Polar Institute.