Subsoil Users and Indigenous Population of Taymyr: Partnerships and Projects

The development of Taymyr and its resources involves not only mining and processing companies (MMC Norilsk Nickel, NK Rosneft), but also hunters of wild reindeer, reindeer herders, fishermen (Dolgans, Nenets, Enets, Nganasans, Evenks). Norilsk Nickel has always invested in the Taymyr region - both when it was a “combination plant” (as the local population continues to call it), and when it became a “master” (a joint-stock company and a world-famous industrial giant). It has a significant package of projects to support the indigenous minorities of Taymyr in its arsenal: from the construction of new settlements to sponsoring ethnic holidays, from supporting tribal communities to financing student education in various educational institutions. After the catastrophic accident at CHPP-3 in May 2020, “indigenous support” was included in the company’s development strategy as a separate item. The main instrument of interaction with KMNT is the agreement signed on September 25, 2020 in Moscow on interaction and cooperation with federal, regional and local associations of indigenous peoples. The company is aimed at a constructive dialogue and building partnerships in accordance with international standards. Since the 2000s oil and gas companies are actively entering the Taymyr Peninsula. With the beginning of the development of oil and gas fields, the problems of using land resources - pastures, water areas, landscape zones of settlements - are becoming more and more aggravated. The policy of oil and gas companies and their methods of interaction with the indigenous population do not meet the expectations of the latter. The dialogue is hard to build. Criticizing subsoil users and local authorities, KMNT proposes to build relations as “cooperation on an equal footing”. The authors declare no conflict of interests.

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