MARINE ECONOMIC POTENTIAL ASSESSMENT FOR ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT IN THE RUSSIAN ARCTIC AND SUBARCTIC COASTAL REGIONS

References: 14th International Multidisciplinary Scientific GeoConference SGEM 2014, www.sgem.org, SGEM2014 Conference Proceedings, ISBN 978-619-7105-19-3 / ISSN 1314-2704, June 19-25, 2014, Book 5, Vol. 3, 253-260 pp

ABSTRACT
Currently the Arctic is a territory with great geo-strategic and geo-economic
significance both for the relatively few Arctic countries and other non-Arctic countries that are actively assert their interests in the region. The economy of Arctic coastal areas characterizes fully the level of development and differentiation of maritime economic complex. The most successful characteristic of their economic value can be the concept of marine economic potential of the coastal area. A comprehensive assessment of marine economic potential of coastal areas is possible to consider as a Marine Spatial Planning (MSP) tool, which will give the opportunity to identify the strengths and weaknesses, set goals, ways and perspectives of development of Arctic coastal areas. Based on the indicator methodology, authors have made the comparative assessment of the socio-economic condition of the Arctic coastal regions of the Russian Federation on 01.01.2006 and 01.01.2011. By the calculations and analysis on the values of indicators and integral value, it is possible to formulate the basic principles of decision-making processes in sphere of environmental and natural resources management, marine spatial planning and sustainable development of coastal areas in Arctic. In addition, based on the methodology it is possible to make predictions of the natural-ecological and socioeconomic status of each unique coastal region and area of the Arctic of Russian Federation, as a response to the existing or planned management decisions and implementation of nature management projects in the Arctic. The Ministry of education and science of Russia provided financial support for this research with the state order 2014/166 and state contract 14.515.11.0002.

Keywords: marine economic potential, Arctic and Subarctic coastal region, environmental and natural resources management, planning and assessment.