At the 8th Russian-Chinese EXPO in Harbin, China, Yakutian scientists will introduce a proposal for an alternative 'doomsday reservoir.' The project of the Scientific and Educational Centre North: Territory of Sustainable Development has piqued interest among colleagues from China and India. Looking ahead, scientists aim to assemble an international team from Shanghai Cooperation Organisation countries including Southeast Asia, Africa and Latin America. Professor Boris Kershengolz from the Institute for Biological Problems of Cryolithozone believes international collaboration could commence as soon as 2025.

The Yakutia initiative involves a cryoreservoir for seeds stored underground as a safeguard against nuclear winters, global floods, extinctions and other potential disasters. This is no laughing matter—the reservoir isn't a genetic bank but a specially reinforced room designed to withstand the most severe disasters in theory. It houses plant seeds that could be used to restore lost species. For instance, the 'Doomsday Reservoir' in Svalbard is embedded within a mountain rock, situated 130 m above sea level. It holds approximately 1.2 mn plant seeds from across the globe, with a storage capacity of about 4.5 mn seeds. The primary advantage of the storage is its cold environment. The rock temperature fluctuates between –3 and –4°C, while the freezer can cool the space down to –18°C. The Arctic island was selected by the international community because its perpetual permafrost and neutral territory status are believed to preserve seed samples for centuries if not millennia. It opened on 26 February 2008, with the Norwegian government investing around €9 mn in its creation. Besides seeds and cold stone walls, the Doomsday Reservoir features airtight doors, airlock chambers, reinforced structures and motion sensors.

However, it began experiencing issues between 2016 and 2019. Global climate change has led to the degradation of the island's permafrost, necessitating additional drainage and cooling systems, the removal of heat-generating devices from the storage area, and other costly measures. According to Boris Kershengolz, Norway now has to redirect electricity for cooling the facility, which is both inefficient and environmentally controversial since the island's power stations use coal.

The cryopreservation facility in Yakutsk boasts significant competitive advantages. Firstly, winter temperatures in the region are significantly lower and more stable. At depths of 9–12 m, the region maintains a steady –4°C, and despite climate change, this figure is expected to remain stable over the next century. Secondly, scientists from the Russian Academy of Sciences' Permafrost Institute have developed a method to 'store' winter cold and gradually release it during the summer months. This greatly enhances the project's energy efficiency and its independence from the general energy infrastructure.

Indeed, relying on a reliable power supply in the event of a global catastrophe is quite optimistic. Moreover, this technology has been proven—a smaller-scale cryoreservoir was launched in Yakutia on 12 December 2012. It is designed to hold about 100,000 seeds and stores samples of agricultural crops adapted to extreme northern conditions, as well as a vast array of legume species from the collection of the All-Russian Institute of Plant Industry named after N.I. Vavilov. A new system for the long-term storage of strategic food reserves has been developed and tested using the same technology.  

The international cryopreservation facility in Russia will differ in scale. Eventually, it could accommodate up to 1 mn seeds. It will store agricultural crops, rare and endangered plants, and wild species—the underground facility will not only secure food safety but also serve as a cornerstone of environmental security.

Speaking of guarantees, since 2018, Russia has been barred from entering the 'Doomsday Reservoir' on Svalbard, setting a precedent that if one is denied access, others might be too. The SCO countries are keen on having a reliable partner who won't alter their stance to appease neighbouring countries' diplomatic caprices. The project's construction is valued at RUB 1.2 bn and has already commenced.  

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