ABOUT THE FORUM
Northern Sustainable Development Forum (the Forum) is a permanent international expert platform for discussing the issues and prospects of sustainable development of the Arctic and the North.
The main idea of the Forum is to join the creative forces of the Arctic and Asia in solving the problems of sustainable development of the Northern and Arctic regions.
In 2015, the UN General Assembly adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development that included 17 Sustainable Development Goals and which implementation should involve not only governments but also transnational companies, charity foundations, community, NGOs and academia worldwide.
Currently, the concept of sustainable development has become central to the Arctic region as well, it is a global challenge that requires the development of comprehensive international cooperation. On the one hand, the exploration of the Arctic region can become promising. On the other hand, the Arctic has a fragile ecosystem, which should be taken care of now not only by the Arctic countries, but also by the non-Arctic ones, interested in the region’s development.
DATE: September 27-30, 2021
LOCATION: Yakutsk, Sakha Republic (Yakutia), Russian Federation.
ORGANIZERS OF THE FORUM:
- International Organization of Northern Regions “The Northern Forum”;
- Government of the Sakha Republic (Yakutia);
- Ammosov North-Eastern Federal University;
MAIN THEME OF THE FORUM:
“Climate change and permafrost preservation”
Climate change and permafrost preservation are global problems that are interconnected. The state of the environment around the world and the ongoing global climate change are influenced by the processes taking place in the Arctic. Permafrost, in turn, occupies at least 25% of the area of the entire land of the globe.
The Arctic is one of the most fragile ecological systems on the planet. Reducing the thickness of ice and reducing the area of ice cover will significantly change the characteristics of ecosystems associated with sea ice. Climate change has become the most significant long-term stressor for biodiversity. Over the past decades, the disappearance of some unique habitats of the Arctic flora and fauna continues. On land, there is an onset of tree vegetation on traditional tundra ecosystems, including grasses, mosses, lichens, the area of which is decreasing. Reduced ice coverage may also adversely affect Arctic sea animals. The time intervals and migration routes of birds are likely to change. Climate change towards warming will increase the activity of pests, parasites and the frequency of various diseases. Migration of fish from the southern seas to the northern seas is expected, which will create competition for arctic fish species.
Of particular importance is the problem of the degradation of permafrost, the melting process of which can have a negative impact on the state of infrastructure built on frozen soils, as well as affect the emission of greenhouse gases. The melting of long-term permafrost under the influence of climate can dramatically affect the livelihoods of the population, which due to the changes will have to adapt to the new conditions.
The situation in the Arctic is a clear example of how climate change affects geopolitics. This entire giant region, formerly permanently iced, is now open to commercial shipping and natural resource development. There are a number of new opportunities for the international community, but it is also facing challenges that await resolution.
The Forum will address the following aspects:
- the impact of global climate change on ecosystems;
- the degradation of permafrost due to climate change;
- the impact of climate change on the socio-economic development of the territories.
WEBSITE
The official webpage of the Northern Sustainable Development Forum - nsdf.ru - is available with the up-to-date information.
FORMAT
With the persistence of the COVID-19 risks, the Forum's events will be held in online/offline format. Follow the forum's website in the News and Home pages.
The following formats of the Forum's events are expected:
- plenary session,
- thematic sections, roundtables, panel discussions,
- the Northern Forum events to mark the organization's 30th anniversary,
- events organized by international or other organizations
- project presentations,
- lectures, foresight-sessions, master classes,
- exhibitions.
AGENDA OF THE FORUM
The Forum agenda will consist of five thematic blocks
The agenda can be amended and updated upon the participants’ proposals.
ORGANIZING EVENTS WITHIN THE FRAMEWORKS OF THE FORUM
To organize the event within the frameworks of the Forum, make sure to submit the following information to the Forum’s Directorate (secretariat@nsdf.ru) before August 1, 2021: the goals and objectives of the event; agenda; number and list of participants; handouts; venue requirements; funding sources.
Moderators are responsible for organizing the event and coordinate all their activities with the Forum’s Program Directorate.
ORGANIZING EXHIBITIONS WITHIN THE FRAMEWORKS THE FORUM
To organize the exhibition within the frameworks of the Forum, make sure to submit the following information to the Forum’s Directorate (secretariat@nsdf.ru) before August 1, 2021: the concept of the exhibition corresponding to the main theme of the Forum; financial estimates (availability of funding sources); specify technical requirements for exhibits, timing of installation and disassembling; specify if the venue is needed (venue requirements); whether the exhibition requires opening ceremony (agenda).
PARTICIPATION
REGISTRATION
To attend the Forum, register at www.nsdf.ru or get in touch with the Registration and Accreditation Service:
For the online format - links for connection will be sent to participants registered through the official website
The registration deadline is September 20, 2021
ACCREDITATION
To get access to the Forum’s venues, a badge is required. You can get your badge at the registration desks in the Forum’s venues. To get the badge, each participant has to show a passport, any ID or a power of attorney on the organization’s official letterhead in any format at the registration desk.
PRESENTATIONS
Applications for presentations at the plenary and its sessions are selected by the Forum’s Program Directorate.
The presentations for the events frameworked by the Forum are selected by their moderators.
The speakers/presenters have to submit the information on the topic of their presentation, name of the session and required technical support to the email of the Forum’s Program Directorate .
PUBLICATION OF SPEECHES
Special issues of journals indexed by Russian and international citation databases will be published following the Forum. Additional information will be available at www.nsdf.ru
MEDIA ACCREDITATION
To work at the Forum, all mass media must obtain accreditation. Registration and accreditation service: //AA0CB767-3422-49E2-BE2B-B620EE5E9BEB/">
Foreign mass media must have accreditation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation.
The Rules of Accreditation and Stay of Correspondents of Foreign Mass Media on the Territory of the Russian Federation are available at the Russian MFA’s website
PARTICIPANTS’ SUPPORT AND SERVICES
ISSUING INVITATIONS FOR FOREIGN PARTICIPANTS
The state service for the registration and issuance of invitations to enter the Russian Federation for foreign citizens is provided by the Main Directorate for Migration Issues of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia and the divisions on migration issues of the territorial bodies of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia
VISA
Participants requiring visas to enter the territory of the Russian Federation, have to complete the procedures related to getting the visas on their own. If you need help with getting visas, please send an inquiry to the Forum’s Program Directorate at . After receiving the inquiry, the Directorate works on a case-to-case basis and decides on providing assistance with getting the visa.
WORKING LANGUAGES, TRANSLATION AND INTERPRETING
The Forum’s working languages are English and Russian. Depending on the number of the simultaneous events and availability of the equipment, simultaneous and consecutive translation is provided.
On the Forum’s website you can order your paper’s or presentation’s translation from Russian into English and from English into Russian.
ATTENTION – The service is chargeable! The charge can be asked for at the Forum’s Translation and Interpreting Service:
Translation submission deadline: September 10, 2021
KEY CONTACTS
Official website: www.nsdf.ru
