Almost a billion people could face disaster from rising sea levels caused by melting Arctic ice, President of the Russian Geographical Society and Russian Emergencies Minister Sergey Shoigu warned on Monday.
"More than 800 million people could end up living in a state of emergency if temperatures do not stop increasing," Shoigu said at a press conference ahead of a three-day Arctic forum in Moscow.
"The Arctic: Territory and Dialogue" forum, which will be hosted by the Russian Geographical Society from September 22-23, will bring together more than 400 politicians, scientists, NGO and business representatives from 15 countries to discuss the future of this rapidly changing region.
Talks at the forum, which will be attended by Iceland's President Olafur Grimsson and Prince Albert II of Monaco among others, will focus on the environmental issues in the Arctic, the rights of indigenous peoples in the region and the development of energy resources, Shoigu said.
International security and cooperation in the Arctic will also be a key focus.
"Russia has no plans to deploy troops in the Arctic. We want to strengthen Russia's means of securing maritime security in the region," the Russian Foreign Ministry's Arctic representative Anton Vasilev said at the press conference.
Russia's research vessel Akademik Fyodorov is currently on a 100-day scientific expedition to ascertain the borders of Russia's continental shelf.
RIA Novosti is the official media partner of the forum.
MOSCOW, September 20 (RIA Novosti)
