Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government, following the House of Lords Arctic Committee's <i>Responding to a Changing Arctic</i> report, what steps they are taking with other EU and Arctic Council countries to exchange data with Russia about the Arctic region, especially regarding the methane and dangerous greenhouse gases being generated in this region.

The Arctic Council plays a key role in gathering and acting on evidence about environmental change in the region. As an Observer State, the UK engages periodically with the Arctic Council’s Black Carbon and Methane Expert Group, including through submitting its National Report on Enhanced Black Carbon and Methane Emissions Reduction in 2015. This was done alongside seven other nations and the EU.

In October 2016, scientists from UK, Russia, EU and Arctic Council countries met. One of the main issues discussed was the consequence of thawing permafrost in Russia. A key outcome of the discussions will be the development of a roadmap for future research, monitoring and collaboration.

The Government recognises the importance of understanding change in the Russian Arctic and looks forward to seeing valuable new opportunities arising from the new Agreement on Enhancing Arctic Scientific Cooperation reached by the Arctic States this year. This is expected to be signed and come into operation in 2017. The Government will continue to support UK scientific engagement with the Russian Arctic through the work of the Natural Environment Research Council Arctic Office and others.