Russians Want to Develop Arctic but Fear Environmental Problems, New Survey Finds

Paul Goble
Staunton, Apr. 4 – According to a survey conducted by Arctica and the Russian Field company, Russians favor expanding the exploitation of the Arctic seabed for its minerals but at the same time are quite worried about the environmental problems that such exploitation may entail.
Russian analysts say that this combination reflects the fact that Russians as a whole know relatively little about the Arctic and thus have not yet come down in favor of the full-scale exploitation of the Arctic that Putin and his regime want or on behalf of environmental protection (kedr.media/news/issledovanie-rossiyane-obespokoeny-ekologicheskimi-problemami-arktiki-no-vystupayut-za-rasshirenie-dobychi-resursov/).
Sixty-eight percent of Russians favor developing the oil and gas reserves in the Arctic, the poll finds; but at the same time, 86 percent say that this development should be conducted in such a way to minimize harm to the environment, nine percent more than took that position just over a year ago.
What that means is that Putin will have enormous popular support for going ahead with his expansive economic plans in the northern ocean but that this support could quickly decline if there is a serious environmental disaster there or if Russians learn more about the Arctic and the fragility of its eco system.  
And Russian support for Putin’s Arctic policies could also be at risk if what he chooses to do sparks international conflicts there, given that a majority of Russians say that the Arctic should be developed in a spirit of international cooperation rather than become a cockpit of conflict between the major powers.