Young people advocate the environmentalization of the Arctic, the elderly - for militarization. Research "Arctides"

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NPO "Arctida" published the results of a study on how Russians perceive the Arctic. It turned out that young people more often care about the environmental consequences of human activity in this region, and the older generation - about its military potential. The survey involved 1,600 respondents of different sexes and age.

As sociologists found out, Russians up to 30 years less maintain mining in the Arctic. In total, 69% of surveyed different ages spoke for the development of northern deposits. At the same time, 77%advocated minimizing environmental consequences.

The level of support for international cooperation in the Arctic zone is significantly reduced from younger groups to senior. Three quarters of youth (76%) express support for the development of cooperation. Among representatives of the older generation - only 65%.

Interestingly, against the backdrop of the deterioration of Russia's relations with Western countries, the Russians called China the main partner in the study of the Arctic. Support for such cooperation was expressed by 62% of respondents. Another 28% said that Russia should act regardless of partners.

The military ambitions of Russia in the Arctic received the least approval of the respondents. According to researchers, the level of support for the deployment of troops and military facilities in the Arctic also increases from younger groups to senior. In the group of 18-29 years, this is supported by only 38.3%, in a group up to 44 years-already 48.1%, and among people over 60-62.4%. A gender break is also recorded: men express support for the placement of military infrastructure in the Arctic significantly more often (67%) than women (42%).

“The older generation uses traditional media and perceives the state narratives translated there. As a result, these people are more likely to support the course for isolation, militarism and see the Arctic as a source of resources, the authors of the study said . - References under the age of 30 receive information from new media free from state narratives. Therefore, young people often want to see the Arctic by a tourist -attractive and peaceful region. ”

Earlier, in a conversation with the Cedar Media*, the head of the Arctida project Ilya Shumanov* noted that the real goal of Russia in the Arctic region today is the implementation of projects related to mining, the construction of port infrastructure and with a militarization.

“If we look at the money: in 2023 at environmental programs in the Arctic-on waste management, eliminating the accumulated environmental harm, the preservation of biodiversity-2 billion rubles were allocated, and in 2025 it is planned to allocate only 1 billion. Hardly anyone reduces the financing of priority programs,” he said.

At the same time, since the Arctic ice cover plays an important role in the fight against climate change, and the Western countries are clearly concerned about this problem, Russia, according to Shumanov, may try to use its dominant position in this region (the Russian Federation controls the 53% coastal line of the Arctic Ocean), to at least partially relieve itself of sanctions or get any international preferences. In addition, the Russian leadership sees in the melting of ice and purely economic benefits, believing that if the northern sea route becomes year -round for navigation, goods from China will be taken to Europe through the Russian Arctic territory.

* The Ministry of Justice of Russia considers Cedar Media and Ilya Shumanov by foreign agents