Sergei Donskoi: Arctic - A Territory of Dialogue forum to focus on environmental issues
© RIA Novosti. Aleksandr Astafiev

The Arctic: Territory of Dialogue forum to focus on environmental issues - Sergei Donskoi

Environmental protection issues will take center stage during the upcoming The Arctic: Territory of Dialogue forum as 2017 was declared Year of the Environment in Russia, Russian Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Sergei Donskoi wrote on Facebook.

"Ensuring environmental safety is one of Russia's Arctic policy priorities. We are taking responsible approaches to preserving the unique nature and biodiversity in the Arctic and to developing our specially protected natural areas," Mr. Donskoi said.

He added that work continues in the Russian Arctic to mitigate the environmental damage from the past economic activities and conduct ecological monitoring.

The minister reveled plans to hold large-scale oil spill prevention exercises in the ice-bound waters of the Arctic seas ahead of the forum.