Strengthening Collaboration of the Indigenous Peoples in the Russian Arctic: Adaptation in the COVID-19 Pandemic Times

Elena Bogdanova,Ludmila Voronina,Medeya Ivanova,Sergei Andronov,Andrey Lobanov,Praskovia Filant,Tatiana Romanenko,Konstantin Filant,Kamrul Hossain

doi:10.3390/su14063225

Abstract

The article presents the challenges of the Indigenous peoples’ interplay with the key actors (Indigenous communities, Indigenous associations, regional governments, corporate businesses, and scientific institutions) in the Russian Arctic. Invoking actor–network theory offered knowledge to analyse how the effectiveness of this collaboration may lead to Indigenous peoples’ social adaptation in the COVID-19 times. It revealed the main problems increasing their vulnerability and making barriers to meeting sustainable development goals (SDGs). The primary sources included the data collected from expert interviews in the Yamal-Nenets Autonomous Okrug, the Nenets Autonomous Okrug, and the Murmansk region in 2020–2021. The main findings proved the gaps in the interplay of Indigenous peoples with key actors in the Russian Arctic due to insufficient interregional and international cooperation, indirect communication of governments with Indigenous peoples via Indigenous associations and communities focused mostly on supporting elites, and the lack of systematic feedback of all key actors. This collaboration must be focused on meeting SDGs and guaranteeing their economic, social, and cultural rights to maintain a traditional lifestyle and livelihoods, involving them in natural resource management, improving quality of life and well-being, increasing access to ethnocultural education, reducing inequality, and promoting Indigenous peoples’ self-government.

Highlights

Introduction distributed under the terms andThe COVID-19 pandemic was an “unprecedented wake-up call” [1] and made Indigenous communities face challenges of decreased human security, destabilised global economies, and rising inequalities addressed in the United Nations (UN) 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Paris Agreement on climate change [2]
The objective of our study was to evaluate the cooperation of the Indigenous peoples with key actors in the Yamal-Nenets Autonomous Okrug (YNAO), the Nenets Autonomous
We presented the interaction of Indigenous peoples and the groups of actors as networking activities to maintain the sustainable development of the Indigenous peoples

Summary

Introduction

The COVID-19 pandemic was an “unprecedented wake-up call” [1] and made Indigenous communities face challenges of decreased human security, destabilised global economies, and rising inequalities addressed in the United Nations (UN) 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Paris Agreement on climate change [2]. The contribution of all key actors (civil society, governments, non-governmental organisations, businesses, and scientific society) to sustainable development is “vital for a recovery that leads to greener, more inclusive economies, and stronger, more resilient societies” [3]. It provides pre-conditions for the sustainability of Indigenous communities. In the COVID-19 times, this collaboration was jeopardised due to pandemic restrictions [4]

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