Copenhagen Accord excludes Inuit but contains promise of hope

National Inuit Leader Mary Simon, president of Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, responded to the Copenhagen Accord, recognized by 193 nations on Friday, including Canada, with a mixture of disappointment and hope.

“It is disheartening that this document contains no mention of Arctic regions,” said Simon, who was in Copenhagen last week as one of 17 special advisors to Canadian Environment Minister Jim Prentice.

But she expressed hope that the process going forward will be responsive to Inuit concerns, in particular because of its historic nature – it is the first time the world’s two biggest emitters, the United States and China, have found common ground on climate change.

The Accord recognizes the need to limit the rise in global temperatures to no more than 2C above pre-industrial levels. But even with such limitations, the Arctic will experience a much larger increase, which may lead to changes in the Arctic ecosystem that will make it hard for Inuit to continue to hunt and travel safely the way we have for thousands of years.

“To be effective,” said Simon, “the process emerging from this conference must recognize the impact of climate change on Inuit by pursuing targets that will eliminate further climate change impacts on the Arctic.”

Simon had urged world leaders to make adaptation programs and financing available to populations at risk in both developing and developed countries, including the Inuit populations.

And while the Accord “recognize[s] the critical impacts of climate change and the potential impacts of response measures of countries particularly vulnerable to its adverse effects,” it contains no specific mention of the Arctic.

“It is incumbent on world leaders to acknowledge the needs of all populations at risk and I am disappointed that this lengthy international process failed to recognize the disproportionate effects of climate change on areas dependent on ice and snow,” she said.

“The onus is now on Canada to make concrete and meaningful financial commitments to help Inuit adapt.”

For more information:
Patricia D’Souza, communications officer
Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami
dsouza@itk.ca; 613/292-4482