Yakutia and Yandex: Technology to Protect Permafrost
Russia’s largest Arctic region has teamed up with tech giant Yandex to deploy a digital monitoring system for permafrost, aiming to protect ecosystems, communities, and infrastructure from the accelerating impacts of climate change.
At the Eastern Economic Forum, Yakutia and Yandex launched a joint project to build a comprehensive digital system for monitoring permafrost. Far from being a symbolic gesture, the initiative tackles one of the Arctic’s most pressing challenges — protecting fragile ecosystems, communities, and infrastructure from the thawing of frozen ground.
Permafrost Is Not Forever
Scientists now avoid the term 'eternal' and instead speak of 'permafrost' that is melting year by year. Forecasts are grim: the Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Program predicts the permafrost zone in the Northern Hemisphere will shrink by 20% by 2040 and by two-thirds by 2080. In Russia, frozen soils cover 65% of the land, supporting major cities as well as oil and gas fields.
The thaw is driven by global warming. Russia’s Arctic coast is losing around 10 square kilometers of land each year. The ecological toll is severe, destroying habitats for rare species of birds and animals. The economic cost is equally alarming, as collapsing infrastructure threatens communities and industry.
Yakutia’s government and Yandex plan to roll out a digital system to track foundations in real time and analyze how permafrost landscapes respond to modern cryogenic processes. The goal is to move from crisis response to forecasting and prevention.
Protecting People and Nature
In 2023, Russia passed a law to establish a state-run permafrost monitoring system, built on Rosgidromet’s meteorological stations. By the end of 2025, the network should expand to 140 monitoring points, automatically measuring soil temperature at different depths.
Similar initiatives already exist worldwide, such as Canada’s Permafrost Monitoring Network (CPMN) and the Global Terrestrial Network for Permafrost (GTN-P), which collect and analyze data to understand climate change. Russia’s new system will align with these global efforts.
The data will help scientists refine climate models and enable businesses and authorities to prepare for the consequences in time, ensuring the safety of both people and ecosystems.
A Smarter North
The Yakutia-Yandex project is a rare blend of cutting-edge technology and urgent socio-environmental needs. It is designed not for abstract research but for solving the real problems of people living in extreme conditions, while laying the foundation for sustainable development in northern territories.
Technologies tested in Yakutia’s harsh environment could find export demand in Canada, Alaska, and Scandinavia, where permafrost challenges are similar. In the long run, Russia has a strong chance to lead the global market for Arctic IT solutions, exporting smart technologies developed in dialogue with the severe northern climate.
