The meeting attendees focused on the federal service’s performance in 2023 and plans for the near future. The Rosgidromet Head informed the Prime Minister about new services for consumers, expanding the satellite constellation, implementing projects in the Arctic and Antarctic, and launcing a climate monitoring network in the new regions.
Mikhail Mishustin meets with Head of the Federal Service for Hydrometeorology and Environmental Monitoring Igor Shumakov
Mikhail Mishustin at a meeting with Head of the Federal Service for Hydrometeorology and Environmental Monitoring Igor Shumakov
Mikhail Mishustin meets with Head of the Federal Service for Hydrometeorology and Environmental Monitoring Igor Shumakov
Excerpts from the transcript:
Mikhail Mishustin: Good afternoon, Mr Shumakov.
Rosgidromet plays a very important role in collecting and analysing environment- and weather-related data. Of course, this significantly influences all sectors of our economy, including transport, agriculture, energy, construction and many others.
You are the first to identify and warn the country of high-risk natural phenomena and climate change. You use domestic satellites for this, as well. You help plan air traffic, and several other very significant functions. Please tell us how your work is organised.
Igor Shumakov: Mr Mishustin, Rosgidromet today has over 30,000 employees and more than 12,000 environmental observation stations. As you said, there are 14 domestic satellites in orbit that we use for hydrometeorological purposes. We also use research vessels and super-computer technologies. Despite the sanctions, we still remain among the top five forecasting services in the world.
We showed good performance in 2022. We carried out all the planned activities, with a tangible economic effect on the country’s economy in the amount of 66.2 billion roubles. This is almost 4 billion roubles more than in 2021.
We managed to increase the accuracy of our short-term forecasts and storm advisories up to 96.7 percent and to 96 percent, respectively.
At the same time, we constantly see an increase in hazardous natural phenomena that cause damage to the economy and the citizens of the Russian Federation. In the 1990-2000s, there were 200–250 such events every year, while now we record 300–400 per year. Over the first 11 months of this year, 425 high-risk events have been recorded. We are also succeeding in warning people about such weather activity in advance. For example, the latest events in the Far East, Typhoon Hanun in the Primorye Territory, when 600 mm of precipitation fell, or, to put it simply, 60 buckets of water per square metre. We responded promptly and gave an advisory five days in advance. Thanks to this, our colleagues from the Emergencies Ministry and the Primorye Territory managed to minimise the consequences of this emergency.
This year, we started offering a new service for consumers. We tested it for the first time with the spring flood forecast. Previously, we gave forecasts for regions, territories, and river basins, but now they are based on geography: cities, towns and villages. This service is receiving positive feedback, so we will continue to use it.
The satellite constellation is a very important data source in our work. And this year is truly a landmark year for the Russian hydrometeorological service: our colleagues from Roscosmos launched four meteorological satellites: Elektro, Meteor, Condor and Arktika-M No 2, which we are proud of.
Mikhail Mishustin: I have just read about the plans of Roscosmos and our other colleagues. They include remote sensing…
Igor Shumakov: This has not happened for several decades. In addition to the already launched satellites, we also produce radar units that can actually see through clouds. For users in the Arctic zone, along the Northern Sea Route, this is very important for forecasts. So, we will provide them with all-weather data. All this will certainly promote the development of our country’s economic potential.
After fully implementing the activities under the Federal Space Programme, we will soon become almost independent of foreign providers of this information. This is our common goal together with Roscosmos.
Mikhail Mishustin: It is obvious that various kinds of constraints can result in scientific, technical and technological solutions, but they also necessitate the most accurate decisions within the shortest time possible.
Igor Shumakov: Last year, we provided 966,000 flights with meteorological information, and this year we have already provided more than 1.1 million forecasts to flights. We work with the airlines, we get feedback, and our services are in demand and of high quality.
At the previous meeting, you asked us to pay special attention to digital transformation. We started with system design, and we are working out all the details of digital transformation. This is an approach that our service has never had before. This work on system design, under a state contract, will be completed in December.
Information security and import substitution deserve special attention.
I would also like to emphasise that the focus of digital transformation is primarily on our users. They will receive information with minimal time lags and in a form that is clear and convenient to them.
To this end, we have already started working with the Ministry of Digital Development, Communications and Mass Media on a service for maintaining retrospective information on changes in weather conditions and operational data, which you approved at the strategic session in May.
Now, we are working hard to create measures under the new national project Data Economy, where we are planning to implement the approaches I just mentioned.
I am sure that digitisation will give us new opportunities. First, it will increase the economic effect of our service and improve the safety of the population and the country's economy from dangerous hydrometeorological events.
Mikhail Mishustin: These services are a very good thing. Most importantly, as you said, they should be based on data. The Data Economy project, big data will enable us, among other things, to quickly rearrange, if necessary, certain reference points, allow users who are interested in the information to get a fast, reliable source of data and thus protect themselves from natural disasters, from dangerous natural phenomena.
One more significant question is on the research you carry out at the North and South Pole.
Here they have special practical importance for the entire country. This information is simply necessary for uninterrupted shipping along the Northern Sea Route. The President has repeatedly said that the importance of this route will only grow and, accordingly, cargo volumes will increase. This is our strategic priority.
What projects are currently being implemented in the Arctic and the Antarctic?
Igor Shumakov: Indeed, we are doing serious work in the Arctic and Antarctica. Last year, as far as the Arctic is concerned, we put into operation the ice-resistant self-propelled platform, the North Pole, which was built by Admiralty Shipyards. It is a unique ship that has no match in the world.
Last September this ship made its maiden voyage and has already proven its efficiency. As you know, the ice in the Arctic is not the same as it was 20 or 30 years ago due to climate change. And the platform enables our scientists to safely, and most importantly, comfortably, perform scientific research regardless of the state of the ice and weather conditions at the North Pole proper. In total, more than 50 types of observations and scientific research are carried out from the ship and from the camp, which is set up on the ice around the ship. And the data obtained are unique. They allow us to study the process of climate change in detail and make practical recommendations, including for ensuring safe navigation in the waters of the Northern Sea Route.
Climate change in the Arctic affects not only the safety of navigation, but also the safety of ordinary people whose homes are located in a long-term frozen zone.
I say "long-term frozen," not "permafrost," like we used to say, because this permafrost can no longer be called permafrost. The climate is changing and the permafrost is melting.
In 2021, President of Russia Vladimir Putin set a goal to create a system for monitoring the state of the permafrost. On 10 July, the State Duma of the Russian Federation passed the relevant law, and from that moment we started to create the system.
We will establish 140 monitoring stations in the permafrost zone by the beginning of 2026. This year we have already established a monitoring centre and are finishing the first 20 stations. Next year, 58 stations and in 2025, the final 62 stations.
This project will allow us, first, to obtain estimates of the natural factors that can impact permafrost change. And it is very important to use them later when setting up a geotechnical monitoring system.
In addition to practical results, this data gives us knowledge about greenhouse gas emissions, which is very important now. And it is worth noting that the Russian Federation is the first country in the world to create this type of monitoring on a systematic basis. No other country in the world is talking about this yet.
Now with regard to Antarctica. The South Pole of our planet.
Under instruction you gave us last year, we have concluded a state contract for the construction of a new, and the world’s largest, research vessel to support the activities of the Russian Antarctic Expedition. The ship is being built by Admiralty Shipyards.
Mikhail Mishustin: The Ivan Frolov?
Igor Shumakov: Yes, The Ivan Frolov. We named it after Ivan Frolov, a colleague of ours who headed the Roshydromet Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute. Unfortunately, he is no longer with us. Nevertheless, this man did a lot for polar research in both the Arctic and Antarctica.
Today, the technical design is being developed and preparations are underway for the keel. Next week, a significant event for the shipbuilders and for us will take place: metal cutting, after which we will be able say that the ship is coming to life. And it will continue to be assembled section by section.
The ship is large: it is 169 metres long, with a displacement of 25,000 tonnes, capable of accommodating 240 people - 70 crew members and 170 polar explorers of our Antarctic expedition; with 2,000 tonnes of general cargo to support the activities of the Russian Antarctic expedition, consisting of five overwintering stations and five seasonal field bases, where up to 240 scientists work simultaneously.
Under the contract, the ship is to be completed in December 2028.
At the South Pole, as you also know, Mr Mishustin, we are continuing another large project: the construction of a new overwintering complex at Vostok Station.
This is a unique inland Russian station located at the Earth's South Magnetic Pole, above the subglacial Lake Vostok.
By the way, Lake Vostok is the latest geographical discovery on our planet, made under the leadership of Russian scientists.
We have been implementing the project since 2019. At the end of 2022, the planned scope of work was completed, with three of the five modules for this station installed. The overall technical availability of the station at the moment is 70 percent.
This year we are starting our third construction season. There will be four in total in Antarctica. This means two to three months, depending on weather conditions.
At the beginning of 2024, we plan to begin test operations of the entire complex. We plan to complete the construction and acceptance procedures at the end of next year. We will personally visit Vostok Station to inspect the completion of construction, because this project is very significant for the Russian Federation.
In the future, it will make it possible to continue drilling in Lake Vostok, expand our scientific research, obtain valuable information for reconstructing changes in the Earth’s climate in the past, and remain at the forefront of this area.
Mikhail Mishustin: We must constantly carry out such climate monitoring, predict the corresponding scenario of changes in the future, and assess the possible consequences.
You are working quite consistently on the state observation network, installing weather stations, including in the new regions, the Donetsk and Lugansk people’s republics, and the Zaporozhye and Kherson regions. It is extremely important that people living in these regions have the same access to Roshydromet information as residents of other regions of the Russian Federation.
Please tell us how things are going there.
Igor Shumakov: Mr Mishustin, we have opened offices in the Donetsk and Lugansk people’s republics, and in the Zaporozhye and Kherson regions. So, we are a full participant in the socioeconomic development programme of the new regions.
We are working to create and restore the state observation network. We are installing equipment, communications, software, and computers among other things. We are also working with the Federal Property Management Agency to secure federal property. We are implementing the socioeconomic development programme of the new regions in full.
We are also working on advanced training and retraining of personnel at our specialised Institute for Advanced Training of Roshydromet. Today, 51 retraining and advanced training courses have been conducted for new employees, with 55 specialised courses planned for 2024. This is very helpful for our new colleagues.
I would like to note that we are working to ensure that our colleagues have everything they need to fulfil the tasks assigned to them to ensure the hydro meteorological safety of our new regions and the timely delivery of information to users at all levels in a form that is understandable and convenient for them.
Mikhail Mishustin: Of course, we need to monitor everything carefully and see how the restoration of these facilities is progressing in the new regions. I would like to ask you to keep this issue under your personal control.
