SOCIO-ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY DOI: 10.15838/esc/2016.1.43.5 UDC 338. 924, LBCК 65.050.22 © Lazhentsev V.N. Geosystem Approach to Socio-Economic Development in the Regions of the North of Russia Vitalii Nikolaevich LAZHENTSEV RAS Corresponding Member, Doctor of Geography Institute of Socio-Economic and Energy Problems of the North, Komi Science Center, Ural Branch of RAS 26, Kommunisticheskaya Street, Syktyvkar 167982, Russian Federation [email protected] Abstract. The paper considers the Russian North in various geographical dimensions: circumpolar, zonal (latitudinal), meridional, structural and territorial. The author estimates the number and dynamics of the population in three zones of the Russian North with the use of primary data provided by district and regional municipalities; he uses the same data to arrange the Northern territories into groups depending on the systems of resettlement of the population and economic specialization of the territories. The analysis of “anatomy” of the North shows that the majority of issues related to socio-economic policy should be considered at the regional and local levels with regard to those territorial and economic systems which have already been formed, but require modernization on the basis of technology adapted for extreme and difficult climatic conditions. The applied part of research on the issues of the North is linked to the theory of the territorial (geosystem) organization of economy. Key words: Arctic, Far North, Near North, meridional integration, territorial and typological groupings of municipalities, intra-oblast economic districts. Since 1945 the regional policy of Russia position of land territories of the Arctic regarding its northern territories has used zone of the Russian Federation. The Arctic two terms: “Far North” and “areas equated is the first part of the North; the Far North to the Far North”. Their administrative-terri- (the Extreme North without the Arctic) – torial structure is established by the public the second; the Near North (territories authorities. The decree of the RF President equated to the Far North) – the third of May 2, 2014 No. 296 stipulates the com- (Fig. 1). Economic and Social Changes: Facts, Trends, Forecast 1 (43) 2016 81 Geosystem Approach to Socio-Economic Development in the Regions of the North of Russia Figure 1. Latitudinal projection of the Russian North Far North regions Areas equated to the Far North The red line shows a land boundary of the Arctic zone of the Russian Federation in accordance with the Presidential Decree of 4 May 2014 No. 296. The Arctic is a special area of geopolitical the Arctic zone of the Russian Federation and relations aimed at peaceful resolution of the national security for the period up to 2020” is issues to develop its mineral and biologi- made annually. cal resources and creation of transport The Strategy primarily takes into account communications with the use of the Northern the Arctic nature characteristics: low radiation Sea Route. In the given geopolitics Russia balance, close to 0 °C average temperature in focuses on the legislative and normative summer months with negative average regulation of social (especially life of the annual temperature, existence of glaciers indigenous peoples of the North) and and permafrost, predominance of tundra economic activity, including environmental vegetation and Arctic deserts. Due to the protection. In 2015 the State Commission on actualization of the climatic factor in the Arctic Development was set up; the report “On mankind development the experts say that state and problems of the legislative support of the Arctic climate have, indeed, fluctuated realization of the Strategy for development of significantly over the last 600 years. During 82 1 (43) 2016 Economic and Social Changes: Facts, Trends, Forecast SOCIO-ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY Lazhentsev V.N. this time period there were at least 3 or 4 80% of Russian gas, more than 90% of nickel significant warmings, but that (according to and cobalt, 60% of copper, 96% of platinum- many opinions) was completely determined group metals, and 100% of barite are extracted. by the change in natural factors, primarily the The important role in food security of the Earth rotational rate, solar activity and the population is played by fish and other marine atmospheric circulation nature. bioresources1. The geopolitical aspect of the Arctic There are conflicts about the Arctic Ocean thematic substantiates the necessity of its resources use among the countries adjacent to consideration in the circumpolar projection in the Arctic. But the situation is not a matter for order to position the Russian Arctic in the political-military tension; it is considered international cooperation with the mobilization in the framework of normal international of scientific and technological potential of relations [2]. D.A. Dodin believes that the many countries and the establishment of the Circumpolar Arctic zone can be considered legal order that equally protects the interests as an object of international programs for of each country. It is the Russian part of the sustainable development [1]. Moreover, Arctic that is most populated and developed. A.N. Pilyasov states that over time around In 2010 in the Arctic zone of the Earth 4,238 the Arctic Ocean, as once around the thousand people lived, the Russian Arctic– Mediterranean Sea, a global cooperation with 2,080, the Arctic Europe – 1,280, and the general features of economic behaviour will American Arctic – 827 thousand people. In form [6]. Yu.F. Lukin relies on the identity of the land territories of the Russian Arctic zone, peoples of the Arctic countries as a factor in established by the Presidential Decree of May economic order and social justice [5]. 2, 2014 No. 296, the population amounted Biologists have shown that risks and threats to 2,383 thousand people at the beginning of to the Arctic development are largely linked to 2015. the unfavourable dynamics of vegetation cover Russia occupies high positions not only in of the tundra. Metabolism of tundra biosystems social, but also natural-resource potential of has changed for the worst in terms of biomass the world Arctic. Here there are economic growth, overgrowing of large areas of mosses complexes with the almost-complete network and lichens by shrubs, and the accelerated of settlements that serve as the basis for process of eutrophication. Science poses development of the Arctic Ocean resources. the problem of the fodder base for reindeer Total reserves of oil and gas in the national husbandry and emphasizes that its decision Arctic sectors are distributed as follows (in should be primarily based on fundamental billion tons of conditional fuel): Iceland – 16, research in the tundra as a unique natural Alaska (USA) – 40, Canada – 61, Denmark– area. Modernization of reindeer herding is Greenland–Faroe Islands – 65, Norway – 65, Russia – 105 (by estimations of national 1 See: https://www.google.ru/search?q= energy agencies). In the Arctic zone about Арктика. Economic and Social Changes: Facts, Trends, Forecast 1 (43) 2016 83 Geosystem Approach to Socio-Economic Development in the Regions of the North of Russia associated with provision of the industry with North, and socially equitable distribution of necessary structures, equipment, means of natural resource rents [8]. communication, transport, creation of a base In this regard, we note the following. The for deer hides processing, production of high- Presidential Decree of May 2, 2014 No. 296 value and high-yield endocrine-enzyme raw stipulates the minimum boundaries and materials, which are in great demand abroad. composition of land territories of the RF The issue about the development of shelf Arctic zone to focus on solving current issues and remote seas of the Arctic Ocean is regarding strengthening of defence capacity in particularly problematic. N.P. Laverov, this geopolitical sector of our country, creation studying the Arctic problems, pays special of coastal infrastructure of the Northern Sea attention to the technology of extraction, Route, exploration and initial development of transportation and processing of oil and gas. shelf resources of the Arctic Ocean. However, The Academician rightly points out that to address the problems of socio-economic haste in the industrial development without development of the high-latitude territories radical technological modernization often Russia’s Arctic zone should be studied in other, leads to huge losses [3]. Not accidentally, specified borders; moreover, it is necessary to “the companies “Rosneft”, “Gazprom harmonize the legislation and regulations Neft” and “Novatek” have applied to the RF relating to the Far North and “anew identified Government with the request to postpone the Arctic”. The latter includes, for example, the commissioning of 29 new oil fields with total Arkhangelsk Oblast, where Arkhangelsk and extraction of over 26 million tons per year”2. 3 other municipal districts in the mentioned As the Arctic is officially considered as a decree are referred to the Arctic, but not to the specific object of state policy, it would be useful Far North. It turns out that the Arctic includes to define status positions in terms of forms of 6 districts of the Arkhangelsk Oblast, only 5 government regulation of socio-economic districts of the Sakha (Yakutia) Republic, and activities and maintenance of a proper the city of Vorkuta of the Komi Republic. The quality of life. It is necessary to formalise the Northern subjects’ desire to enter the Arctic difference of the Arctic from regions of the zone is reasonable and fair. This primarily Far and Near North. Thus, it is justified to concerns the Komi Republic (Intinsky and strengthen the Arctic vector of regional policy Usinsky districts) and the Sakha (Yakutia) of the federal government, especially in terms Republic, where the districts (ulus), fully or of improving economic regulators of economic partially lying norther than 65 degrees north activity, objective assessment of a living wage, latitude, of course, are Arctic.