The Arctic Council working group on Emergency Prevention, Preparedness, and Response (EPPR) has completed its first meeting of 2010. The meeting took place in the coal mining town of Vorkuta, Komi Republic of the Russian Federation, on 16-18 June. The town is located just above the Arctic circle, 3 hours flight or 48 hours train ride north of Moscow, and home to some 85,000 inhabitants. Formerly, it was infamous for being a main centre of the Soviet Gulag system of forced labor concentration camps.

The hosts of the present EPPR meeting, the Ministry of Emergency Situations (EMERCOM) and the city of Vorkuta, had spared no efforts in welcoming and entertaining the meeting attendants in an overwhelmingly splendid manner. The EPPR delegates were flown in to Vorkuta in a corporate EMERCOM jet and, within Vorkuta, transported by bus and everywhere escorted and saluted by officers of the Emergency Ministry.

The meeting was garnished with social events of stunning theatrical performances and lavish banquets as well as excursions to the city’s mine rescue service, Mining College, and Museum. Agenda items of the meeting included presentations on various issues related to Arctic Emergencies, Search and Rescue, and hazardous substances, as well as workshops on radioactive irradiation and oil spills.

In addition to the national delegations of the Arctic states, WWF Russia was represented at the meeting as were the Inuvialuit Game Council and IPS. RAIPON, however, was not represented at the meeting, nor was any of the other Permanent Participants, despite the fact that EPPR has expressed that it wishes to involve indigenous peoples in on-going and future projects.