Russia's Frozen Assets Our World

is where a battle is under way between environmentalists and the

Russian government. Russia's far untouched. It is the domain of the

polar bear all the walrus. But the companies here hunting for new

reserves. The drilling has already started that what if something goes

wrong? Every single oil company started that what if something goes

a technology that can actually drill underneath the ice. An ideological

The big melt has attracted huge conservationists and the Kremlin.

The big melt has attracted huge ships to, seeking shortcuts through

tried to turn it off? As Russians the Arctic. What a going to do when

tried to turn it off? As Russians frozen assets start to defrost,

tried to turn it off? As Russians in. We would like to know what we

have in the Arctic. Conservationists are now scrambling to protect this

pristine wilderness and its isolated inhabitants. And river port in

Russia's high Arctic, one of the most northerly towns in the world. A

small boat is heading even further north. Deep into the Arctic Ocean.

On—board is a team of scientists from W, the world wide fund or

nature. —— for nature. Experts in walruses and polar bears. We are

going with them. For the entire expedition, this guide will never

get dark, the temperature will never rise above it degrees Celsius. ——

eight degrees Celsius. We travelled down river and drop off our last

passengers in a tiny village. This local hunters and fishermen from an

act that group are to be the last people we will see for a fortnight.

Then we head out into the Laptev Sea Then we head out into the Laptev Sea

as this part of the Arctic Ocean is melting. Within hours, we see our

first polar bears. In the distance, a mother and two club driven ashore

expedition leader started working in by the melting ice. —— cubs. Our

expedition leader started working in the Arctic 30 years ago. Back then,

was rare but now it is much more seeing bears onshore in the summer

was rare but now it is much more common and the animals are getting

animals that used to live on the common and the animals are getting

animals that used to live on the walruses. They used to sleep on

animals that used to live on the ice and now in some cases their

feeding areas might be too far from the beach so their lives become

worried. The summer ice has been shrinking rapidly in recent years.

In the decade up to 2002, C ice filled much of the Arctic ice and,

even at the low point in September, but in the ten years since then

even at the low point in September, decreased opening up huge gaps

between the polar ice cap and the northern coast of Russia. It is

between the polar ice cap and the problem for the animals. But it

between the polar ice cap and the an opportunity for the oil men.

between the polar ice cap and the had previously stayed away from

these cities which were frozen for half the year. We flew out to sea

Russia's first Arctic offshore drilling platform. It is operated by

a state owned company. It is the beginning of a whole new era for oil

and gas. Something resident Hooton claims could help secure the country

's economic future. The rig stands in metre 20 —— in water 20 metres

deep. It is weighed down by a vast in metre 20 —— in water 20 metres

deep. It is weighed down by a vast drill inside the huge station is

already borrowing under the seabed. The first well ahead is in place and

the company has promised he will start producing oil before the end

Greenpeace have already targeted platform. When they tried to scale

it in September they were met by officers from the Russian internal

security service in balaclavas and carrying guns. They even opened

security service in balaclavas and to warn off the protesters. The

coastguard also fired warning from their ship. We were basically forced

to come here. The 30 members of their ship. We were basically forced

Greenpeace crew were charged with piracy and are now sitting in jail

in the Arctic port. The strong reaction is a sign of how important

Russia feels the reserves under reaction is a sign of how important

northern waters are. We want to reaction is a sign of how important

what we have in the Arctic, other countries do the same. There is

what we have in the Arctic, other advantage for acting now. And not

man says more conservation work waiting for 20 or 30 years. But

potential measures to protect and we should be done. Already the oil

potential measures to protect and we need to know what the most important

After two days of sailing to north, places are to protect the wildlife.

After two days of sailing to north, long shingle spit where a herd of

walruses have hauled themselves long shingle spit where a herd of

of the water. More accustomed to life on the ice, these strange

Arctic mammals are nervous on dry land. I am going to have to talk

quietly because if the walruses panic and run into the sea, they may

crush each other to death. They panic and run into the sea, they may

scientists are trying to establish the walruses here in the Laptev

scientists are trying to establish are in fact, a completely unique

subspecies. The experts on the expedition want to get DNA sample

from the walruses. This involves slowly accustoming the animals to

their presence. And using a crossbow as darts on pieces of string to

collect bits of string —— DNA. The darts draw blood that they do not

Recovering the sample is when things go wrong is not always easy. Very

little is known about the wildlife here. But basic research is only

need to be protected before more here. But basic research is only

man literally wrote the book on drilling takes. —— takes place.

man literally wrote the book on walruses in Russia. He has been

living among them for years and before the expedition, he knew

population. Soon he is experiencing close encounters than he might have

expected. But he tries to recover another lost data. All in the name

of conserving the animals he loves. Collecting DNA from live polar bears

will be much more dangerous. We Collecting DNA from live polar bears

fortunate to have this man on a expedition. He is the worldwide

cancellation. But with notice of —— but with no DNA —— tranquillisers,

we go ashore to collect DNA sample is from faeces and head. It is to

establish how unique the wildlife starts. It does not take Jeff long

to find fresh polar bear faeces starts. It does not take Jeff long

an abandoned Soviet weather station. laboratories in Russia and America

afford DNA testing. It will tell us where the air is in the lap have fit

into the global world of populations and subpopulations. We have two

large one here, one in Norway, the other is in Alaska. He will be

interesting to see if these bears belong to those subpopulations. We

food. Usually they eat seals but the see polar bears on almost every

retreating ice. So the bears look seals have all warned north with

retreating ice. So the bears look longingly at the much more dangerous

walruses. They try to seek out young longingly at the much more dangerous

walruses. They try to seek out young or sick animals. Some of the polar

bears with sea appeared to have or sick animals. Some of the polar

weight over the summer months. The scientists think that in all, we

observe ten different there. They say that very little is known about

Russia's polar bear population. The baseline data for polar bears and

other species simply do not add baseline data for polar bears and

need to know where they spend their time. So that you could come up

need to know where they spend their mitigation plans. We even know there

are —— how many there are left? No idea. There is also no plan for

are —— how many there are left? No things go wrong. One thing that

are —— how many there are left? No missing in Russia is a response

plan. Specific to wildlife. What are you going to do when you have an

accident and 40 bearers turn up you going to do when you have an

shore covered in oil? Do you have the equipment? The answer in general

oil spill and the Arctic is that the equipment? The answer in general

oil spill and the Arctic is that because the water is so cold and the

is not much exchange of water with oil breaks up wash slowly. The ocean

other oceans. A spell that would disappear in a couple of years in

more open seas could take 100 years disappear in a couple of years in

more open seas could take 100 years cold as a factor. Each region around

Each particular case. Different options should be used in different

circumstances. It is just different with other factors. The Arctic has

not have things that other regions have. But as we sit on the deck

not have things that other regions our ship, the chief executive of WWF

Russia tells me that the government is being naive about the risks of

drilling in Arctic conditions. Not a single oil company currently has the

technology which can actually drill without an oil spill happening under

the ice. Some of the know—how to collect oil from the surface of

the ice. Some of the know—how to water. Or from the ice, which is

even easier, because it is like land. But under the ice there is no

technology that can deal with that. That means that the oil can spread

all over the place. He complains that the Russian government is

actively encouraging drilling in the Arctic Sea. These projects cannot be

realised without this. I was talking international oil companies. The

estimate is that the cost of one barrel of oil and bringing it into

the market would be $700 per barrel. That is five times more than you

could get for it. These projects government subsidies. He claims

could get for it. These projects you are distorting the market and

encouraging companies to go into these precious places. Our goal

encouraging companies to go into to find out the best ways to work in

region in the world. It is possible the region. It is an important

region in the world. It is possible to stop. But in this case all other

President Vladimir Putin has gone countries should stop as well. While

President Vladimir Putin has gone out of his way to show that he cares

also made it clear how strategically about the Arctic environment, he

also made it clear how strategically country's economic future. Six years

ago in a dramatic publicity stunt, a government submarine planted a

Russian flag under the eyes at the North Pole. And this summer, Moscow

established a permanent military presence of the most remote regions

of the Arctic for the first time since the Soviet era. Reopening

of the Arctic for the first time air base. It is a sign that Russia

attending. In the Soviet era, there was a much greater human presence in

the Arctic than there is now. The abandoned weather station near where

we dropped anchor is a reminder abandoned weather station near where

winters. —— enjoyed. This stoat abandoned weather station near where

has the weather station to himself. But as the climate changes, the

Laptev Sea is once more being talked about in the Kremlin. And not just

for the oil and gas that lie under the surface. It is midnight, and as

pretty much still daylight. A couple you can see we are so far north

pretty much still daylight. A couple of years ago, this Arctic Ocean

section would have been full of of years ago, this Arctic Ocean

so—called northern sea route through flows. But this year it is open

so—called northern sea route through this section of the Arctic. This

summer, some 600 chips requested permission to make the journey.

Three years ago, it was just six. The route is only open for a couple

Three years ago, it was just six. autumn. And ships need to have

specially reinforced holes and travel in convoy with an icebreaker.

But the northern sea route allows ships from the economic powerhouses

of Asia to travel around the eastern end of Russia all along the Arctic

coast and down into the markets end of Russia all along the Arctic

western Europe. Cutting around end of Russia all along the Arctic

we might think that the prospect of thousands of ships crashing through

environmentalists with horror. But the conservation argument around the

northern sea route is more nuanced than the one round oil exploration.

After all, the shorter journeys than the one round oil exploration.

less fuel being used and all is darkened outside —— less carbon

dioxide contributing to climate darkened outside —— less carbon

dioxide contributing to climate change. There will be 40% less fuel

spent on transferring from Europe to that also requires all the safety

already developing now. Last year prerequisites to be put in place

already developing now. Last year there were ten times more cargo

taken through the rich than ten there were ten times more cargo

taken through the rich than ten years ago. As far as the ships

themselves, they will be passing through something that is not a

threat. The issue of the shipping would be if there is an accident.

Water would be dangerous for a long decision, we will complete research

of the potential consequences of increasing traffic along the Arctic

consequences are possible. We do not want to have negative consequences.

It seems fairly obvious now that no campaigning. Russia developing the

transport. Most conservationists feel that all they can do is try and

make sure that the negative impact years ago, did you imagine what

make sure that the negative impact people in the Russian government

imagine that the Arctic would be as important as it suddenly feels now?

People in Russia and the Soviet Union understood the importance

People in Russia and the Soviet the Arctic long time ago. Even the

Russian empire. When the Soviet Union was collapsing, we withdrew

everywhere. Now when we are stronger Union was collapsing, we withdrew

everywhere. Now when we are stronger and we can bring resources and

Russia's Arctic is a desolate but beautiful place. The conditions

Russia's Arctic is a desolate but tough for animals, and getting

Unlike parts of the world were other great predators live, man has made

little impact here so far. But now the summer ice is disappearing.

little impact here so far. But now permafrost is starting to fall.

Climate change means these animals must adapt or die. Soon, man will be

greater numbers than he has ever been before. Jazz prom plans to

start pumping oil from its first offshore Arctic platform before

start pumping oil from its first end of this year. It is a time of

great change for the vulnerable wildlife of these latitudes. If

great change for the vulnerable want them to survive, it has become

more urgent than ever to find a