Common emergency policy needed

Increased shipping traffic in Arctic waters requires greater communication between the Arctic nations, says the Russian ambassador in Denmark, Teymuraz Ramishvili to the Greenlandic newspaper Sermitsiaq.

Ramishvili said the shipping industry in the Arctic need to be the first priority for any dialogue between the political leaders of states bordering the Arctic.

‘If shipping continues to increase in the Arctic, we will need to re-evaluate the risks of a potential environmental catastrophe. We need to ensure that only ships with double or triple hulls sail in the region,' said Ramishvili.

‘We need to establish a common emergency policy, so that we do not end up ruining the sea. We could, for example, discuss the creation of a combined coastguard for the five polar nations.'

The future of the Arctic's indigenous people and environmental considerations need also taken into consideration according to the ambassador.

Referring to the protection of indigenous peoples and their culture, the statement said that any development of trade, such as shipping, would have an effect on the ethnic and cultural composition of the Arctic, warning that it was important to avoid any new form of colonialism developing in the region.

‘We need to ensure that Inuit peoples can protect their identity, even if we begin to exploit natural resources in the region, the ambassador said.