Mining Industry of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) and Problems of Environmental and Social Security of Indigenous Peoples

Evdokia Burtseva, Anatoliy Sleptsov, Anna Bysyina, Alla Fedorova, Gavril Dyachkovski and Alevtina Pavlova
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Evdokia Burtseva: Institute of Finances and Economics, M.K. Ammosov North-Eastern Federal University, 677007 Yakutsk, Russia
Anatoliy Sleptsov: Faculty of Law, M.K. Ammosov North-Eastern Federal University, 677007 Yakutsk, Russia
Anna Bysyina: Institute of Finances and Economics, M.K. Ammosov North-Eastern Federal University, 677007 Yakutsk, Russia
Alla Fedorova: Institute of Natural Sciences, M.K. Ammosov North-Eastern Federal University, 677007 Yakutsk, Russia
Gavril Dyachkovski: Institute of Natural Sciences, M.K. Ammosov North-Eastern Federal University, 677007 Yakutsk, Russia
Alevtina Pavlova: Institute of Regional Economics, M.K. Ammosov North-Eastern Federal University, 677007 Yakutsk, Russia

Land, 2022, vol. 11, issue 1, 1-17

Abstract: The Republic of Sakha (Yakutia; RS(Y)) is located in the northeast of Siberia (Russia) in the basins of the Lena, Yana, and Indigirka rivers, in the lower reaches of the Kolyma River. Yakutia is an industrial–agrarian republic with a developed mining, fuel, and energy industry. Indigenous peoples live mainly in the Arctic regions, where the large-scale development of mineral resources is planned, and South Yakutia, where the mining industry is well developed. The aim of this study is the development of methodological approaches to assessing the impact of the mining industry on the natural environment and the social sphere in the places of residence and traditional economic activities of the indigenous peoples of the North. We used the results of research work (R&D), materials of expeditionary work, and regulatory documents of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) and the Russian Federation (RF). The state of the environment (ES) was assessed on the basis of the analysis of indicators for three areas: (a) anthropogenic load, (b) environmental and social consequences, and (c) resistance of natural complexes to technogenic impacts. In total, 22 indicators were used for the 3 areas, for example, population density, person/km 2 ; the volume of extraction of rock mass, million m 3 ; and emissions, t/year. To bring dissimilar indicators into comparable ones, we used a methodological approach with the use of the social risk index (SRI). In Arctic regions (mainly agricultural), the ES is in a favorable and relatively favorable state: SRI 0.61–0.70; in the central regions (mainly agricultural), it is satisfactory and relatively satisfactory: SRI 0.71–1.0; in the southern and western regions with a developed mining industry, it is relatively tense and tense: SRI 1.01–3.0. An extremely tense state of environmental conditions has developed in the city of Yakutsk: SRI ≥ 3. Generally, the deterioration of the environmental situation and vital activity of the indigenous peoples in investigated Arctic region correlated with the impact of the mining industry.

Keywords: Arctic; sustainability; anthropogenic load; environment; indigenous peoples; quality of life; pollution; health (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q15 Q2 Q24 Q28 Q5 R14 R52 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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