The COP26 conference was a chance for the Northwest Territories to strike out on its own and identify solutions to its own unique climate challenges, according to the MLAs who attended.
The delegation to this monthSA国际影视传媒檚 conference in Glasgow included Minister of Environment and Natural Resources Shane Thompson, MLA Katrina Nokleby, deputy secretary of Indigenous and intergovernmental affairs Shawn McCann, and the GNWTSA国际影视传媒檚 manager of climate change and air quality, Cory Doll.
The delegation had the chance to meet with both business and government actors: Nokleby says she had the chance to speak with a representative of Panasonic about their green cell technology. She also met with the prime minister of Estonia, Kaja Kallas, to discuss that countrySA国际影视传媒檚 climate change data storage and collection technology.
SA国际影视传媒淚 think the networking aspect cannot be emphasized enough,SA国际影视传媒� she says.
The delegation was also able to meet with delegates from Ontario and B.C. to discuss their approaches to environmental challenges, particularly B.C.SA国际影视传媒檚 response to recent floods. SA国际影视传媒淲eSA国际影视传媒檙e a huge country, but weSA国际影视传媒檙e a very small jurisdiction,SA国际影视传媒� says Thompson. SA国际影视传媒淚tSA国际影视传媒檚 about learning from one another.SA国际影视传媒�
Nokleby says that this year, the challenges of Northern ecosystems were given new prominence at the conference. SA国际影视传媒淭here has been a shift to acknowledging the boreal forest and its place in the overall climate cycle,SA国际影视传媒� she says.
SA国际影视传媒淚 would say that at least people are aware, and thatSA国际影视传媒檚 a big shift.SA国际影视传媒�
Although the GNWTSA国际影视传媒檚 deputy secretary of Indigenous and Intergovernmental Affairs was part of the delegation, Thompson and Nokleby both acknowledged there could have been a stronger Indigenous presence at the conference. Nokleby in particular called the NWTSA国际影视传媒檚 Indigenous representation SA国际影视传媒渆mbarassing.SA国际影视传媒�
Thompson acknowledged that the Covid-19 pandemic was a deterrent to many who might have otherwise attended the conference. He said the delegationSA国际影视传媒檚 message SA国际影视传媒渄idnSA国际影视传媒檛 do a disservice, but we could have done better if we had had more Indigenous people there.SA国际影视传媒�
CanadaSA国际影视传媒檚 federal government made its own promises at the conference, including phasing out public funding for oil and gas extraction and putting a cap on emissions from the oil and gas sector. Meanwhile, the GNWT is implementing its own local strategies, including the establishment of a climate change council. SA国际影视传媒淭he climate change council is going to be a high-level advisory body thatSA国际影视传媒檚 going to meet at least quarterly, if not more,SA国际影视传媒� says Doll.
This council will address the unique climate challenges faced by NWT residents, including the dependence of many isolated communities on diesel and other non-renewable fuels. SA国际影视传媒淲e need proven clean energy, and thatSA国际影视传媒檚 where we reach out to Greenland, we reach out to Iceland SA国际影视传媒� they have some pretty unique things,SA国际影视传媒� says Thompson.
He says the existing diesel plants could be replaced with more fuel-efficient ones, or the GNWT could experiment with carbon capture technology.
SA国际影视传媒淭he nice thing about it is that Northerners care; ItSA国际影视传媒檚 having an impact on them,SA国际影视传媒� says Thompson.
