Climate Change Plan: Inuit Seek Consultation and Ways to Adapt Plan for the Arctic

The Government of Canada yesterday released their long awaited plan to combat climate change. Though a good first step, much more needs to be done to curb this change that affects everyone, especially Inuit, in the Arctic who rely on the land and wildlife for their livelihood.

Inuit believe, after reading this plan that Canada needs a holistic Climate Change Strategy, with a clear Northern component, and a clear Federal Government leader. This plan is important as it goes some distance in identifying ways for Canada to curb GHG emissions where it counts, in southern cities and industry. But this is only one side to the Climate Change story.

“Climate change is happening in the Arctic as we speak,” said ITK President Jose Kusugak. “Inuit know that the weather and environment are changing right now because our sea-ice conditions, our seasons and the animals we hunt have all been affected, and this in-turn, affects Inuit.” Inuit have been and continue to face adaptation challenges due to Climate Change, and feel that a comprehensive Canadian plan should include both Mitigation and adaptation aspects which are so intricately linked.

This requires the government to move quickly on it’s commitment to consult Canadians. The government’s plan includes several future consultations to formulate in detail how the plan will be working. Inuit seek solid commitments from the government to be fully involved in research, economic analysis and policy development and implementation to become true partners in Canada’s national commitment.

The government must make it clear who is taking the lead on the climate change issue, to ease the process for Inuit and other interested parties in working with Canada towards a healthier future. “It was nice to see the three Ministers (Minister Dion, Minister Efford, and Minister Emerson) sitting together to announce this plan,” Kusugak said. “But when we ask ‘Who’s taking the lead?’ Whose hand goes up? We need to know that.”

“Inuit appreciate the efforts of our fellow Canadians to reduce greenhouse gases to counter the effects of climate change,” said Kusugak. “But Inuit need to see a strong commitment to support our efforts to switch from diesel energy-generation to cleaner forms of energy.”

Over 90 percent of energy generated in Inuit communities comes from diesel-burning generators, and the costs are immense. Electricity that costs $103.04 a month in Toronto, costs $405.20 a month in Inuvik, Northwest Territories.

Not only is this one of the least efficient ways to produce energy, but also the diesel must be shipped to the communities every year, adding to the greenhouse gas emissions resulting from powering our Northern communities.

Inuit across Canada see Kyoto as a major opportunity to not only improve technologies so that they are actually working in the Arctic climate – but also as an opportunity to develop more sustainable economies, locally and regionally. Inuit are willing to share their traditional knowledge to help improve the quality of life and reduce GHG emissions in the Arctic. The Arctic can and should be used as an environmental laboratory to test the efficiency and durability of such things as engines and machinery.

This could include testing or even manufacture of cleaner, more efficient small engines. Though considered “recreational vehicles” in southern Canada, exhaust spewing snowmobiles and four-wheel all terrain vehicles (ATV) are, at present, a necessary and widely used form of transportation in the Arctic.

A quicker pace to testing of wind-diesel cogeneration in the North should be encouraged to start the weaning from diesel dependency now. And new, cleaner technologies should be tested in the North. Inuit want to help Canada become a leader in these new technologies and see wide application of these technologies throughout the circumpolar North.

In the new plan, the government commits to continuing existing programs to improve energy efficiency, namely the EnerGuide for Houses and the One-Tonne-Challenge. Inuit are looking forward to improvements in these programs to have an equal opportunity in taking advantage of improving housing and reducing emissions at the same time.

Scientists agree that the Arctic is the first area to show visible signs of climate change and where the impact will be most severe. The world Inuit live in today is different from the world of our oral histories and distant memories.

Inuit can help the government’s “Plan for Honouring our Kyoto Commitment”. We want to set an example for other people who are in danger as a result of climate change, like those living on small island developing states, or in coastal areas.

“Inuit are willing to work in a true partnership with the Government of Canada on climate change,” Kusugak said. “We want to do our fair share as well. The One Tonne Challenge has to be adapted to the Arctic though. While Canadians in Southern Canada can retrofit their homes to meet their One Tonne Challenge, Inuit would need to find alternatives to their use of polluting forms of gas, their communities’ diesel dependency, and effective and efficient substitutes to old two-stroke engine technology that are relied upon for survival in order to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions."