Agenda and Schedule

International Workshop

“Climate Change Impact on Public Health in the Russian Arctic”

Russian Arctic is among most vulnerable to global climate change impact regions on Earth. Changes of epidemiological status of Arctic population will be one of important consequences of global warming. In particular, it will be reflected in a wider than earlier distribution of existing and the emergence of new infectious diseases, as well as growth of non-communicable diseases. Public health situation will be further exacerbated by social-economic changes and large-scale impacts on ecosystems.

The event was held under United Nations Arctic initiatives in Moscow, Russian Federation on 19-20 of May 2008. This was the first conference of its kind aimed at the assessment of climate change impact on public health in the Russian Arctic. The workshop brought together specialists working in different fields of applied medicine and at the science/policy interface in Russia and abroad, representatives of federal and regional executive powers as well as participants from international organizations working on environment, development and health issues (United Nations Development Programme, United Nations Environment Programme, World Health Organization, and the Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme) to exchange knowledge and experience of public policy development in response to climate change in Arctic countries as well as develop major recommendations on public health response to climate change impact in the Russian Arctic.

Major topics to be covered during the Workshop are:

· Climate change in the Russian Arctic;

· Specific health issues of population residing in the Arctic, including indigenous peoples of the North;

· Global warming and non-communicable diseases;

· Climate change impact on distribution of existing and the emergence of new infectious diseases in the Arctic;

· Development of Response Action Plans aimed at reduction of exposure and public health emergencies related to global warming.

Monday, 19^th May 2008 Climate change impact on public health in the Russian Arctic
Opening remarks and welcome by UN Resident Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative Mr. Marco Borsotti, WHO Special Representative to the Russian Federation, a.i. Mr. Luigi Migliorini, Senior Official of RF in Arctic Council, ambassador atheist Mr. Vasilyev A.V. and Committee on health protection of the State Duma Academician of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences Kolesnikov S.I.
Presentation	Opening talk Menne B. (WHO, Rome) “Health impacts of climate change”
*1. Climate in the Russian Arctic: Current Trends and Future Scenarios*		Session 1 deals with the regional assessment of climate change impact on physical environment in the Russian Arctic. Special emphasis will be given to discussion consequences of permafrost degradation. The session provides overview of physical background of public health changes related to climate evolution
Presentation	Anisimov O. (S-Petersburg) “Arctic Climate: current trends and key environmental consequences”
Presentation	Ginzburg A. (Moscow) “Climate dynamics and atmospheric pollution in the Russian Arctic”
Presentation	Grigoriev M., Skachkov Yu. (Yakutsk) “Climate impact on permafrost evolution in the Asian sector of the Russian Arctic. Development risks”
Presentation	Maksimov T. (Yakutsk) “Global significance of permafrost ecosystems of Yakutia”
*Defining a baseline: Demography, Public Health Issues, and Non-Communicable Diseases*		Session 2 provides an overview of existing knowledge of public health issues in the Far North of Russia such as demographic situation, dietary specifics, and physiological mechanisms of adaptation. It will discuss background situation and particular health vulnerability of people living in the North
Presentation	Revich B. (Moscow) “Climate change in the Russian Arctic: public health risks”
Presentation	Bogoyavlensky D. (Moscow) “Peoples of the Russian North – demographic situation at the turn of centuries”
Abstract Presentation	Khasnulin V. (Novosibirsk) “Specific public health issues in contemporary climatic and geophysical conditions in the Arctic”
Abstract Presentation	Krivoschekov S. (Novosibirsk) “Physiological mechanisms of adaptation and public health issues in Northern Siberia”
Presentation	Manchuk V. (Krasnoyarsk) “Current state and public health status of Arctic population”
Presentation	Buganov A. (Nadym) “Climate and ecological impacts on public health in the Far North”
Presentation	Chaschin V., Zibarev E., Barnes E., Dyer R. (S-Petersburg) “Climate change impact on human exposure to persistent toxic substances in the Russian Arctic: Health risks”
Abstract Presentation	Kutinov Yu., Zhistova Z. (Arkhangelsk) “Dynamics of short-term geomagnetic variations, structure of atmospheric pressure, ozone content and their impact on health of northern populations"
*3. Climate change and infectious diseases in the Arctic*		Session 3 explores the most challenging aspect of climate change impact on public health in the Arctic – occurrence and spread of infectious diseases. Higher incidence of infectious diseases caused by ongoing climate changes requires the most urgent response from regional epidemiological services as well as dedicated scientific studies
Presentation	Netesov S. (Novosibirsk) “Climate and environmental change and infectious diseases in the Siberian Arctic”
Abstract Presentation	Tronin A., Tokarevich N., Buzinov R. (S-Petersburg) “Climate change and occurrence of tick infections in Arkhangelsk Oblast”

Tuesday, 20^th May 2008 Towards Public Health Response Planning and Follow-Up
Presentation	Parkinson A. (Anchorage) “Climate change and impact on infectious diseases in the Arctic: The public health response”	Second day of the workshop provides an overview of public health response to climate change in the US and Northern Europe. Presentations of related national and international initiatives in the field will compliment review of international experience. Invited participants will attend press-conference concluding the workshop. Special attention at the meeting will be given to the situation in the Republic Sakha (Yakutia) and recommendations for public response planning. Workshop will be concluded by the approval of the Resolution that will be sent to relevant stakeholders
Presentation	Granberg I. (Moscow) “Climatic and meteorological factors impact on human health”
Presentation	Zibarev E., Chaschin V. (S-Petersburg) “Critical assessment of the removal of toxic wastes in areas inhabited by Arctic indigenous communities”
Presentation	Platonov A. “Expecting unexpected: climate change impact on infectous diseases and public health response”
Presentation	Savilov E., Astafiev V. (Irkutsk) “Biological pollution of Lena River and public health situation in Republic Sakha (Yakutia)”
Abstract Presentation	Kershengolts B., Chernyavsky V., Nikiforov O., Repin V. ( Yakutsk, Novosibirsk) "Epizootological and epidemiological potential of natural sites of origin of infectious diseases in Yakutia and their current dynamics"
Presentation	Sidorov P. and Degteva G. ( Arkhangelsk) “Strategies for development of circumpolar medicine”
Presentation	Senchenya I. ( Moscow) “NPA-Arctic: towards action plan on climate adaptation”

Resolution

Workshop Pictures