Planning for Sustainability: An Emerging Blue Economy in Russia's Coastal Arctic?

• Published in: Sustainability
• Main Authors: Tianming, Gao, Bobylev, Nikolai, Gadal, Sébastien, Lagutina, Maria, Sergunin, Alexander, Erokhin, Vasilii
• Other Authors: Harbin Engineering University (HRBEU), Saint Petersburg University (SPBU), North-Eastern Federal University, Études des Structures, des Processus d’Adaptation et des Changements de l’Espace (ESPACE), Université Nice Sophia Antipolis (1965 - 2019) (UNS)-Avignon Université (AU)-Aix Marseille Université (AMU)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université Côte d'Azur (UniCA), Saint Petersburg State University (SPBU), Moscow State Institute of International Relations (MGIMO), Key West University (KWU), FMSH-RBSF OSAMA (development Of an optimal human Security Model for The Arctic)
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: HAL CCSD 2021
• Subjects: Sustainable development strategies; Regional and urban planning; Coastal areas and municipalities; Blue economy; Arctic Zone of the Russian Federation; Urban Development; Sustainability; Economic; Ports; Arctic; Russia; JEL: Q - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics • Environmental and Ecological Economics/Q.Q5 - Environmental Economics/Q.Q5.Q56 - Environment and Development • Environment and Trade • Sustainability • Environmental Accounts and Accounting • Environmental Equity • Population Growth; [SHS.GEO]Humanities and Social Sciences/Geography; [SDE.ES]Environmental Sciences/Environment and Society; [SHS.ECO]Humanities and Social Sciences/Economics and Finance; Murmansk; Anadyr; Anadyr’; Dudinka; Pevek; Severodvinsk; Sabetta; Anadyr'; Arkhangelsk
• Online Access: https://hal.science/hal-03211208; https://hal.science/hal-03211208v2/document; https://hal.science/hal-03211208v2/file/sustainability-1154753-final%20version.pdf; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13094957

International audience The main research objective of this study is to examine how coastal urban communities in the Arctic Zone of the Russian Federation (AZRF) organize the sustainable development (and emerging blue economy) strategy planning process. Along with this general objective, this study focuses on four more specific questions: First, to examine whether the sustainable development and blue economy concepts are integrated into the urban development strategies and whether they are a real priority for the northern coastal communities? Second, to figure out which local government and civil society institutions are involved in the policy planning process and whether this sphere of local politics is transparent and open to public discussions? Third, to find out which specific aspects of the sustainable development and coastal blue economy concepts are given priority in the municipal development strategies? Finally, to discuss whether the AZRF coastal sustainable development/blue economy strategies aim to solve short-term/most pressing problems or they suggest long-term policies built on sustainability principles and are oriented to solve fundamental socioeconomic and ecological problems of the AZRF coastal communities? The hypothesis of this study is that a properly designed strategy planning system would be helpful for both familiarizing northern municipalities with the blue economy concept and its effective implementation. This research is based on several empirical cases, including major Arctic coastal urban centers/ports-Anadyr, Arkhangelsk, Dudinka, Murmansk, Naryan-Mar, Pevek, Sabetta, and Severodvinsk.