Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Chernyshenko assessed the infrastructure and learned about the priority research areas of the A.N. Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution of the Russian Academy of Sciences (IEE RAS), and held a meeting on its development.
The event was attended by First Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Konstantin Tsyganov, Deputy Minister of Science and Higher Education Denis Sekirinsky, IEE RAS Director and Corresponding Member of the Russian Academy of Sciences Sergey Naidenko, and institute staff.
"The Institute of Ecology and Evolution of the Russian Academy of Sciences is working to achieve several national goals set by President Vladimir Putin. These include "Technological Leadership" and "Environmental Well-being." The Institute is actively implementing measures to support the "Youth and Children" national project. It participates in mega-grant programs and is developing a youth laboratory. Furthermore, the IEE RAS is engaged in international scientific cooperation within the framework of the Joint Russian-Vietnamese Tropical Research and Technology Center," said Dmitry Chernyshenko.
The Deputy Prime Minister emphasized that for the Institute's further development, it is essential to focus on addressing the needs of Russia's regions and industrial partners, integrating data obtained at biostations into existing and emerging information systems, and building predictive models based on them. It is also important that the Russian Ministry of Natural Resources is prepared to incorporate the Institute's proposals into the updated Strategy for Environmental Security to 2030 and for the period up to 2036.
The Joint Russian-Vietnamese Tropical Research and Technology Center has been operating for over 35 years. The center's research focuses on biodiversity, the structural and functional organization of terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, the ecology and biology of organisms, and carbon and greenhouse gas fluxes. The IEE RAS also actively collaborates with colleagues from China, for example, on a program to restore the Amur tiger in our countries. This year, several joint expeditions were conducted, including one to assess potentially suitable habitats.
The A.N. Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution of the Russian Academy of Sciences supports five permanent expeditions and centers, including joint ones with Armenia, Ethiopia, and Mongolia, as well as eight biological stations in various regions of Russia.
Dmitry Chernyshenko reviewed the infrastructure of the Electron Microscopy Laboratory and visited the Laboratory of Mammalian Behavior and Behavioral Ecology and the Laboratory of Phytoparasitology at the Institute of Ecology and Evolution of the Russian Academy of Sciences. Research staff and graduate students presented their areas of work and the results of their research.
In particular, the institute's staff participated in compiling the Red Book of Russia, are implementing projects to assess, preserve, and restore biodiversity in Moscow, and are conducting ornithological surveys of airport facilities.
In accordance with the instructions of the President of Russia, the institute is implementing a key innovative project to create and develop a National System for Monitoring Climate-Active Substances.
Deputy Minister of Education and Science Denis Sekirinsky noted that the development of the Center for Global Environmental Monitoring and Biosafety at the A.N. Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution of the Russian Academy of Sciences plays a key role in the development of a national system of independent environmental analysis.
"Thanks to the unique experience and infrastructure of the IEE RAS, a system is being developed that enables us to obtain our own reliable data on the state of ecosystems, climate change, and biosafety risks, including monitoring greenhouse gases, the spread of pathogens, and invasive species. The introduction of advanced digitalization and artificial intelligence methods, as well as the development of a network of environmental observatories, enable Russia to make independent management decisions based on domestic scientific expertise," he said.
Proposals for the creation of the Center for Global Environmental Monitoring and Biosafety at the IEE RAS were presented at the meeting.
"The establishment of the Center for Global Environmental Monitoring and Biosafety will allow the institute not only to develop cutting-edge world-class competencies within its walls but also to ensure Russia's priority in research and solutions to fundamental and applied environmental problems at a global level. Its activities will significantly expand access for domestic enterprises and institutions to knowledge about the planet's biological and genetic resources and provide scientific and methodological support for Russian economic development projects both in Russia and abroad," noted Sergei Naidenko, Director of the IEE RAS.
Furthermore, the Institute houses a Technology Transfer Center, which coordinates such areas as remediation of soil damage after oil spills, drinking water quality monitoring using mollusks, and the study of invasive species and wood pests.
Photo: Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation
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