The draft Agreement on cooperation on Marine Oil Pollution Preparedness and Response in the Arctic is a result of two years negotiations between the Arctic Council countries.The Agreement is to be signed at the Ministerial session of the Arctic Council in Sweden in May 2013.
The main purpose of the document is straightening cooperation and mutual help coordination in preparedness and oil spill liquidation in the Arctic, says the Russian Ministry of Transport. Environmental groups have already criticized the Agreement for being too general and weak and contain no requirements for equipment, methods of well shut-in, and environmental protection.
According to Greenpeace, the document calls the countries to take appropriate measures for oil spills liquidation, but doesn’t include any minimum requirements for the companies and countries, planning to operate on the Arctic Shelf.
Earlier Russia launched its Arctic strategy, covering many aspects of the Russian Arctic zone development. The document contains many general formulations of environmental protection importance, but no particular requirement except search and rescue centers establishment along the Northern Sea Route.
