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Climate Change and Health Adaptation Program

The Climate Change and Health Adaptation Program is now accepting proposals for the 2012-2013 fiscal year. Deadline for applications is Monday, January 23rd, 2012.

Health Canada's Climate Change and Health Adaptation Program for Northern First Nation and Inuit Communities has been developed to fund community-centred research, where the research is to be done by community members or organizations for the benefit of their community.

For more information about the Program, how to apply and/or to obtain a Funding Application Guide, please contact:
Erin Myers (Program Officer) (613) 957-2490
Diane McClmyont Peace (Program Manager) (613) 946-9663

Canadian Passive House Institute: Certification Training Course

January 17-21, 2012
Whitehorse, Yukon

This is a week-long intensive course in passive house design and construction. Passive House is the world's most ambitious and scientifically verified route to sustainable buildings, achieving 80-90% energy savings over conventional construction... they are future-proof, healthy and affordable.

A $500 bursary provided by the Energy Solutions Centre is available to the first 18 eligible registrants.

For more information contact or visit www.passivehouse.ca.

First annual Yukon Youth Winter Eco Ball

Wednesday, December 28th, 7:00 pm
Mt. McIntyre Recreation Centre
Tickets $30 (for 19+ ages)

A sophisticated, entertainment-filled, sustainable and educative evening – the perfect post Crhistmas, pre New Year's pick-me-up, compete with winter spirits, music, comedic relief, wicked dance moves, guest speakers, and delicious (good-for-the-planet) hors d'oeuvres.

Hosted in support of the Yukon Conservation Society.

Tickets can be purchased from the Birdhouse Café, across from the Yukon Theatre on Wood Street. Buy a ticket before December 1st and your name will be entered in a draw to win one of two round-trip Air North tickets. Additional info: goo.gl/YYbwB.

Wood Energy Technology Transfer (WETT) courses

November 28 to December 3, 2011
High Country Inn, Whitehorse

If you install, inspect or maintain wood heating systems, these three courses will give you the knowledge you need to do so safely.

  1. Code Compliance: Monday to Wednesday, November 28 to 30, 2011. Cost $675 (+tax)
  2. Wood Burning Systems, December 1 to 2, 2011. Cost $465 (+tax)
  3. SITE Basic Inspection, December 3, 2011. Cost $280 (+tax)

For more information, call Cathy at (867) 393-7148 or go to www.energy.gov.yk.

The power of wood

Public meeting hosted by Yukon Energy
Thursday, December 1st, 7:00-9:00 pm
Old Fire Hall, Whitehorse

Yukon Energy is looking into using wood from fire killed or beetle killed trees to produce electricity and district heating. You're invited to a public meeting on this subject.

There'll be presentations from experts plus Yukon Energy will update you on the information it has collected and the studies it has had done to date regarding biomass. You'll have a chance to ask questions and share your views.

For more info call (867) 393-5333, email , or go to www.yukonenergy.ca.

WWF's Earth Hour list: Cities taking action on climate change

WWF announces the top 10 Canadian cities leading the battle against climate change. The Earth Hour List, compiled in partnership with Corporate Knights, highlights positive actions being taken by municipalities to fight climate change.

IPY 2012 Conference: Funding for PolarEDUCATORS

Application deadline: November 14th

The Department of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development is helping organize the IPY 2012 From Knowledge to Action Conference in Montreal, April 22-27, 2012. As part of this conference, a special workshop is being organized called PolarEDUCATORS, to bring together 150 international science teachers. The PolarEDUCATORS Workshop is an amazing opportunity for high school-level teachers who are interested in learning more about the polar regions, interacting with international colleagues and testing new hands-on activities to excite students about science and the Poles.

Students On Ice is leading the organization of the PolarEDUCATORS workshop. For more information and the application form, go to the Conference website or contact Students on Ice directly at . The deadline to apply is November 14th.

Young Leaders' Summit on Northern Climate Change

The Young Leaders' Summit on Northern Climate Change 2011 will be taking place in Yellowknife, November 10th-12th, 2011. The Summit will be an amazing opportunity to network with youth from across all three Territories and from southern Canada regarding climate change. A focus will be on developing leadership skills and exploring the idea of storytelling as a tool for social change. Telling the stories of climate change experienced individually, in our communities, and by our Elders is very important.

The youth steering committee has taken a lead role in determining the themes for this year's summit. The first Young Leaders' Summit on Northern Climate Change took place in Inuvik, in 2009. The Northern Voices Coalition comprised of the Arctic Athabaskan Council, Climate Action Network Canada, Dene Nation, Ecology North, Gwich'in Council International, and the Pembina Institute are pleased to encourage youth aged 18-30 to apply today!

Information is available at the website www.climateleaders.ca or from Dawn Tremblay, Program Coordinator, Ecology North, (867) 873-6019.

Canadian Agricultural Adaptation Plan

The Canadian Agricultural Adaptation Plan (CAAP) is a 5 year, $163 million national Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) initiative to help the agricultural sector adapt to new issues as they emerge, and remain competitive. In the Yukon, CAAP is delivered by the Yukon Agricultural Association (YAA).

Eligible projects could be in the areas of capacity development, traceability, environment, climate change, pilot projects, field trials and more. Anyone at any level of Yukon's agriculture and food industry is eligible for funding – industry organizations, aboriginal groups, for-profit companies, individual producers, processors and retailers.

Proposal intake deadlines for 2011 are September 16th and November 4th. For more information call the YAA-CAAP Council office at (867) 668-6864 or email . You may also call AAFC toll-free at (877) 290-2188 or visit AAFC's website for additional info in French or English.

North of 60 Agriculture Conference and Banquet

Friday, November 4th and Saturday, November 5th
Westmark Whitehorse
Banquet $22, Conference free

"Yukon Grown" banquet featuring local foods on Friday, November 4th. Guests are welcome at 6 pm with dinner at 7 pm. Tickets are available from the Agriculture Branch, Room 320, Elijah Smith Building, 300 Main Street, Whitehorse.

Conference is on Saturday, November 5th. There is no fee to attend the conference, and no pre-registration.

  • 9 am-12 noon: Labourers/Workers – From the foreign worker program to WWOOFERS; what you need to know about farm labour: tax, WCB, insurance and volunteers.
  • 1 pm-2:45 pm: Tractor Shopping – Getting it right: Scott Garvey, machinery editor for Grainews and Country Guide Magazine, speaks on tractors including utility and compact utility models.
  • 3 pm-4:30 pm: Learnings from the Dawson Food Survey – learn about the recent survey of Dawson area producers and consumers.

To learn more call (867) 667-5838, toll free 1-800-661-0408 ext. 5838 or visit online at www.agriculture.gov.yk.ca.

Canadians want urgent action on climate change more than ever before

A poll conducted on behalf of WWF has found that Canadians are increasingly convinced about the need for urgent action on climate change. WWF’s year-over-year data shows that 84 per cent of Canadians are as convinced or more convinced than last year that urgent action is necessary.

Before the Ice Melts

Using footage shot during the ArcticNet research expeditions onboard the CCGS Amundsen, University of Victoria's Maeve Gauthier produced a video called "Before the Ice Melts." The video featured on a Radio Canada International-powered website shows marine biodiversity research in the Arctic for Census of Marine Life Canada.

Yukon Research Centre laboratory opening

Tours and research demo
Thursday, October 27th – 3:30 pm-5:30 pm
Yukon College

Located at 500 College Drive, near the Family Student Residence. It's the new building with the solar panels on the side (facing the Family Student Residence, the lab is on the right). Speakers and ribbon cutting at the start, tours will be ongoing throughout the evening. Family friendly event.

For more information contact Jacqueline at (867) 456-8619.

Energy management workshop

October 26th, Gold Rush Inn, Whitehorse
Registration deadline: October 19th
Cost: $25 per participant

Looking to same some money on energy? Yukon Energy Corporation, Yukon Electrical Company Ltd., and Natural Resources Canada are hosting an energy management workshop.

The workshop will cover everything from energy 'basics' to the importance of managing energy. Participants will be shown how to identify energy savings opportunities and will be offered some low cost/no cost ways to save energy.

Who should attend:

  • Small business owners
  • First Nation and Municipal decision makers
  • Staff responsible for making energy-related decisions

For details or a registration form, visit www.yukonelectrical.com, www.yukonenergy.ca, email Stephanie Whitehead at or call (867) 393-5313.

City of Whitehorse Environmental Fund

2011 application deadline: October 17th

Eligible projects contribute to the Whitehorse Sustainability Plan including environmental education; waste reduction; preserving and/or enhancing land, air, water or wildlife; demonstrating innovative technologies and environmental leadership. Eligible applicants are non-profit societies, community groups and businesses. Funding is 50% of total project costs (if your project costs less than $500, we will consider funding 100%).

For more information, contact the Environmental Coordinator at (867) 668-8312, or go to www.whitehorse.ca.

MacBride Museum Climate Change Lecture Series

The MacBride Museum has partnered with the Northern Climate ExChange to present a series of lectures on our changing world. These lectures will be held at MacBride Museum at 7:00 p.m. Admission is free.

More details on these lectures can be found at the MacBride Museum website.

IPY 2012 Conference: Call for abstracts

The International Polar Year 2012 Conference – From Knowledge to Action – is taking place in Montreal from April 22nd-27th, 2012 and will be one of the largest and most important scientific conferences for polar science and climate change, impacts and adaptation. The call for abstracts for oral and poster presentations is now open. Conference organizers invite you to submit abstracts on the latest polar science, as well as the application of polar research findings, policy implications and how to take polar knowledge to action.

The call for abstracts closes September 30, 2011.

Skills for Employment – Green Greenhouse Builder

Do you want to gain some entry level skills in energy efficient greenhouse construction and greenhouse growing?

Develop essential workplace skills needed for employment and/or further training through:

  • Hands on energy-efficient greenhouse construction, set-up and vegetable growing
  • Classroom instruction
  • Computer use, and
  • Safety training

The program runs for 15 weeks starting September 6th and ending December 16th, 2011. For more information contact the Yukon College School of Access at (867) 668-8850 or www.yukoncollege.yk.ca.

Sharing the Land Scholarship

The Yukon Fish and Wildlife Management Board is seeking applications for the Sharing the Land Scholarship – a $1000 scholarship to post-secondary students pursuing education that continues the connection between people and the land.

Eligibility criteria:
Applicant must be a Yukon resident pursuing post-secondary training in continuing the connection between people and the land.

Documents required:
Transcript; Acceptance letter; and a two-page essay outlining what significance the Yukon's wilderness holds for you and what you hope to do to continue sharing the land with fish and wildlife through your educational goals.

Apply to:
Send your essay, transcripts and a letter verifying your acceptance to a post-secondary institution to:
Sharing the Land Scholarship
c/o Yukon Fish and Wildlife Management Board
Box 31104, Whitehorse, YT Y1A 5P7

Deadline: Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Canadian Foundation for Climate and Atmospheric Sciences launches new website

The Canadian Foundation for Climate and Atmospheric Sciences provides focused support for excellent university-based research on weather and climate. The research improves understanding of how our weather is changing and its impact on our health, safety, economy and environment. It also enhances Canada's scientific capacity in climate and atmospheric sciences, and addresses national priorities, policy requirements and adaptation needs.

Fireweed Community Market and Permafrost Fun!

Join NCE at the Fireweed Community Market on August 4th and 11th for some permafrost fun! We will be doing a thawing permafrost demonstration both evenings involving ice cream, candy, and a few vegetables. (Yes, you can eat it afterward!)

This is a great opportunity to interest your kids in climate change – or even to learn something yourself! There will also be complimentary beverages and a wealth of information about NCE projects and initiatives. We look forward to seeing you there!

Kluane Lake Research Station's 50th Anniversary Celebration

Plans are underway for an open house, workshop and celebration at Kluane Lake Research Station during the first weekend of August to mark its 50th Anniversary and to open the new and renovated buildings. All friends of KLRS and the Arctic Institute of North America are invited to attend and participate. More program details will be available shortly. In the meantime you can:

  1. Help to 'spread the word' and forward this information to other KLRS alumni and friends
  2. 'Pre-register' on the event website so that we can get a better idea of how many people will attending. Please indicate when you will be at KLRS by selecting daily tickets.

Inquiries can be sent to .

Energy conservation kids edventure

Looking for a fun, free and educational summer activity for you and your preschool/kindergarten-aged kid? Consider a dynamic and informative parent and kid session about energy and electricity safety and conservation. Join Yukon Conservation Society and Yukon Energy on Tuesday, July 12th for an afternoon of learning about energy and electricity – where it comes from and how to use it in a safe and smart way.

Students on Ice scholarship

Students on Ice has proudly partnered with Northern Climate Exchange of the Yukon Research Centre, Yukon College and the Yukon Government Department of Education to offer Yukon youth one fully funded scholarship on our upcoming Arctic Expedition!

The Students on Ice Arctic 2011 Expedition will travel to Iceland, Greenland, Northern Labrador and Nunavik from July 23-August 7, 2011. Interested applicants must be between 14-18 years of age and have a passport to apply.

Application deadline: July 4th, 5:00pm EDT

To apply, go to the Students on Ice website. For more information, contact Niki Trudeau, participant coordinator, at (866) 336-6423, fax (819) 827-9951, email .

Whitehorse Community Climate Change Adaptation Project (WhiteCAP) summary

WhiteCAP, the NCE's Whitehorse Community Climate Change Adaptation Project, is wrapping up. We would like to invite you to our final open house where we will showcase our findings through a conversation café. Folks from YTG will also be there to share info about Yukon-wide emissions targets. We'll supply the coffee and goodies.

Come join us on Monday June 27th, from 7pm-9pm, at Baked Café on Main Street by 1st Avenue, Whitehorse.

Mayo Adaptation Project: Orientation open house

Over the next 40 years Mayo is expected to be affected by climate change. These changes will affect many parts of community life. The Mayo Community Climate Change Adaptation Project (MCAP) will help to prepare us for these changes. MCAP will investigate how climate change will affect the region from Stewart Crossing to Mayo to Keno City.

Learn more at our orientation open house, which takes place Thursday, June 17th from 4:30 to 7:30 at the Mayo Curling Lounge.

International Polar Year (IPY) Survey Announcement

The International Polar Year (IPY) Education, Outreach, and Communication (EOC) Assessment Committee is trying to inventory and assess the many EOC activities that took place during IPY 2007-2009. The Assessment Committee requests that scientists, educators, students, and communication officers who coordinated polar EOC activities for IPY please complete the survey.

The survey will take approximately ten minutes to complete, and will ensure that as many IPY EOC efforts as possible are counted in the Assessment Committee's international report.

The Assessment Committee is comprised of members from the International Council for Science (ICSU), the Association of Polar Early Career Scientists (APECS), the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR) and the International Arctic Science Committee (IASC).

To complete the survey: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/IPYsurvey-english

For further information, including a preview of the survey and links to Russian and Chinese versions, please go to: http://apecs.is/outreach/2529-ipy-eoc-survey

For questions or difficulties with the survey, please email .

Schools on Board Program: ArcticNet science expedition

Schools on Board is now accepting applications from schools for their 2011 Field Program – a very unique and authentic science experience for Canadian high schools and teachers! It is open for 8 students, 2 teachers, students grades 10-12. Deadline to apply is May 13th, 2011.

The 2011 expedition will take place in Leg 3 of the 2011 ArcticNet science expedition. Schools on Board will join ArcticNet science teams on board the CCGS Amundsen (Canada's state-of-the-art research icebreaker), in Kugluktuk, Nunavut and participants will become integrated in the multidisciplinary research activities scheduled. The onboard program will travel through the Amundsen Gulf, into the Beaufort Sea along the Mackenzie Shelf and then travel back to Kugluktuk. Dates: September 20-October 7, 2011.

Spaces are only given to schools – schools can apply by filling out a School Application & Agreement form. A selection criterion is described on the webpage and a committee will evaluate and select schools.

Yukon Environment Fair

The Government of Yukon's Department of Environment is again hosting the Yukon Environment Fair, this year with the theme 'Learning from the Land.' It will take place May 13-14th, at Takhini Arena in Whitehorse.

The registration deadline for exhibitors is April 15. Contact the Environment Fair Coordinator, Deborah Turner-Davis at (867) 335-0333 for more information.

King Tide Photo Initiative

The King Tide Photo Initiative asks individuals to record the possible impacts of sea level rise by photographing high water level events in BC's coastal areas.

King Tides (also known as perigean spring tides) are extreme high tide events that occur when the sun and moon's gravitation forces reinforce one another at times of the year when the moon is closest to the earth. They happen twice a year, but they are typically more dramatic during the winter.

While tides are not affected by climate change, the climate and weather do influence coastal sea levels through storm surges, the ENSO and PDO cycles and other factors. Storms that occur during high tides can cause coastal flooding and erosion, a risk that will increase with sea level rise.

These King Tide occurrences offer us a chance to visualize what normal sea levels may look like in the future.

An Ocean of Hope: Yukon Science Institute Talk

Sunday, May 1, 2011
7:30 pm – Yukon Beringia Interpretive Centre, Whitehorse

Tuesday, May 3, 2011
7:30 pm – Dawson City Community Library, Dawson City

All that carbon in the atmosphere is doing more than changing the climate. It's also changing the basic chemistry of the global ocean, to scientists' surprise. Award-winning journalist and author Alanna Mitchell will inspire with stories of how she travelled the globe researching her latest book, Sea Sick, to meet the scientists who are figuring it out and how she put the pieces of this scientific puzzle together. She will leave you with hope and a sense of how people around the world can work together to bring us back from the brink.

Lectures are free and so are the cookies! For more info contact Lori Schroeder, Coordinator, Yukon Science Institute, (867) 667-7899, .

Alaska releases climate change strategy

The Alaska Department of Fish and Game recently released its Climate Change Strategy that describes expected impacts from our changing climate on fish and wildlife resources and their uses across Alaska. The document points to needed research, and identifies key strategies and initial actions the department intends to take in order to address anticipated impacts.

Arctic Report Card 2010: Region continues to warm at unprecedented rate

The Arctic region, also called the "planet's refrigerator," continues to heat up, affecting local populations and ecosystems as well as weather patterns in the most populated parts of the Northern Hemisphere, according to a team of 69 international scientists. The findings were released today in the Arctic Report Card, a yearly assessment of Arctic conditions.

Conservation Science North of 60 – In the North, For the North

In collaboration with the University of Alberta, Yukon College now offers a Bachelor of Science (BSc) degree in Environmental and Conservation Sciences, with strong northern and native studies content. For returning professionals, aspiring youth and those seeking a new direction, the program offers a variety of options and entry points.

Information sessions are available to learn more about the BSc Program and September 2011 admissions:

  • Thursday March 24th, Yukon College, Whitehorse (Ayamdigut), A2103, 12:00-1:00 p.m.
  • Wednesday March 30th, Yukon College, Whitehorse (Ayamdigut), A2103, 5:00-7:00 p.m.
  • Thursday March 31st, community campuses via videoconference (please contact your Yukon College community campus for information on how to participate), 12:00-1:00 p.m.
  • Wednesday April 6th, community campuses via videoconference (please contact your Yukon College community campus for information on how to participate), 5:00-6:00 p.m.

For more information, contact Lisa Christensen, Coordinator, Northern ENCS Program, Yukon College, at (867) 668-8726 or .

Talk by Sheila Watt-Cloutier postponed

The talk by Inuit activist Sheila Watt-Cloutier, originally scheduled for Saturday, March 26th at the Yukon Arts Centre, has been postponed to fall 2011.

For additional information visit the Environment Yukon website at www.environmentyukon.gov.yk.ca/educationyouth/after_hours.php.

Carbon & Energy Leadership Certificate

Yukon College, in partnership with Royal Roads University, is proud to offer this comprehensive series of nine short modules designed to broaden understanding and development of carbon and energy leadership in terms of leading environmental action, adaption and mitigation and understanding climate change economics and financing.

Various courses March 14-25, 2011:

Influencing Change and Engaging the Public for Environmental Issues
March 14: 9:00 am - 5:00 pm
Cost: $550 + GST

Creating a Carbon Footprint Strategy
March 15: 9:00 am - 5:00 pm
Cost: $550 + GST

Accelerating Organizational Leadership in Climate Action
March 16: 9:00 am - 5:00 pm
Cost: $550.00 + GST

Carbon and Energies Strategies for Communities
March 17: 9:00 am - 5:00 pm
Cost: $550 + GST

Greening Energy: Clean Energy for your Home, Office and Community
March 18 & 21: 9:00 am - 5:00 pm Cost: $795 + GST

For more information or to register, visit www.royalroads.ca/continuing-studies or call 1 (800) 788-8028.

New report: A Science Plan For Regional Arctic System Modeling

At a time when the Arctic is experiencing changes never before seen in historic times, an accelerated interest in regional "Arctic system modeling" is helping to achieve a comprehensive understanding of physical, biogeochemical, and societal interactions in the high north.

Toward that goal, the International Arctic Research Center has recently released a science plan developed for such a model. The report is the culmination of three workshops held during and immediately proceeding International Polar Year, 2007-2009. More than 160 members of the arctic research community contributed via these three science workshops held in Alaska, Colorado, and Quebec and through extensive review of draft versions of the science plan.

2020 emissions set to exceed dangerous levels by one third

Global greenhouse gas emissions under current policy settings could be up to nearly one third more in 2020 than the trend needed to avoid catastrophic climate change, according to the latest "gigatonne gap" analysis conducted by WWF.

Plugging The Gap, a paper released today at UN climate negotiations going on this week in Tianjin, China, shows recent science setting an emissions budget of 40 gigatonnes of CO2 equivalent in 2020 to avoid dangerous climate change. But the world is on track to emissions levels of 47.9 to 53.6 gigatonnes, based on promised reductions in major economies – which on past experience may well not be achieved.

Joint initiative lays out physical effects of climate change on Canada

The physical effects of climate change on Canada in the next century could touch everything from human health and community infrastructure to water resources and even tourism and recreation activities, according to a newly-compiled presentation of scientific research published October 5th.

Called Degrees of Change, the diagram is the first comprehensive illustration of expected climate impacts published for Canada. Resting on a large body of published scientific information, it lays out 60 specific effects of climate change at increasing levels of warming as part of a joint initiative between the National Round Table on the Environment and the Economy and the Royal Canadian Geographical Society.

Climate change: A summary of the science

Climate change continues to be a subject of intense public and political debate. Because of the level of interest in the topic, the Royal Society has produced a new guide to the science of climate change. The guide summarises the current scientific evidence on climate change and its drivers, highlighting the areas where the science is well established, where there is still some debate, and where substantial uncertainties remain.

Dawson Adaptation Project – final reports

The Dawson Community Adaptation Project was officially completed on the 30th of June, 2010. The Dawson Climate Change Adaptation Project – Final Project Report accounts for the second year of the project. During that time, the Dawson Climate Change Adaptation Plan was implemented through five community based projects which addressed community vulnerability to:

  • Reduced food security
  • Shifts in local biodiversity
  • Reduced energy security (anticipated)
  • A lack of local data to support climate change research
  • Continuing the implementation process (anticipated)

The NCE would like to thank the community of Dawson, and Sebastian Jones in particular, for all their work in making the Dawson Community Adaptation Project a success.

Yukon Science Institute Public Lecture

A sensitive slope: Forest recovery after fire in a changing climate

Jill Johnstone, Assistant Professor, Department of Biology, University of Saskatchewan will be speaking about forest recovery after fire in our current climate. Lectures are free and so are the cookies.

  • Sunday, February 20, 2011, 7:30 pm, Yukon Beringia Interpretive Centre, Whitehorse
  • Monday, February 21, 2011, 7:30 pm, Kluane National Park Visitor Centre, Haines Junction

For more information contact Lori Schroeder, Coordinator, Yukon Science Institute, at (867) 667-7899 or , or go to the YSI website at www.taiga.net/ysi.

Biomass workshop in Whitehorse

Join Energy North in a two day workshop in Whitehorse, January 26 and 27, 2011. This workshop is designed to give leaders, managers, technicians and involved community members, the basic knowledge about biomass and forestry to create innovative projects.

Energy North Corporation is an Aboriginal-owned company located in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories. We are committed to increasing the use of biomass systems for heat and electricity in North American industries and businesses and promoting self-sustaining communities based on a proper stewardship of land and resources.

Register at www.energynorth.ca/workshops. For more information, contact Nina Larsson at (867) 446-2540

Yukon International Polar Year Results Workshop

The Yukon International Polar Year (IPY) coordination office, hosted by the Council of Yukon First Nations, is inviting you to the Yukon IPY results workshop to be held on January 18th-19th, 2011 in Whitehorse. This two day workshop has two main themes. The first is the communication of IPY results back to the Yukon; the second is building and strengthening relationships between Yukon First Nations, communities and researchers.

January 18th, 2011
The first day of the workshop will provide an opportunity for IPY project teams to communi-cate the initial results of their IPY research, explain why these results are important to the Yukon population, and how they could be relevant to planning and decision making at the local, regional and national levels.

January 19th, 2011
The second day will look at the building and sustaining of relationships between researchers, First Nations and communities. Some of the key questions that we will be seeking to answer (through facilitated sessions) include:

  • How is the Yukon maintaining its research momentum after IPY?
  • How is the Yukon involved in other global initiatives post-IPY?
  • Are there best practices and model projects for building community-researcher partnerships?
  • How do we design research projects that are relevant to both researchers and communities and are developed and undertaken as true partnerships?

For more information contact Bob Van Dijken at .

2009-2010 NCE Annual Report

The 2009-2010 NCE Annual Report is now available to download. This annual progress report describes work completed by the NCE between April 1, 2009 and March 31, 2010.

Changing Climate, Changing Communities: Guide and Workbook for Municipal Climate Adaptation

Developed by ICLEI Canada with support from Natural Resources Canada, this guide and workbook is a compendium of resources that provides a five-milestone framework to assist local governments with the creation of an adaptation plan to address the relevant climate change impacts in their community.

Show world leaders how you see climate change

Amateur filmmakers from around the globe are encouraged to participate in the 1 minute to save the world competition which closes in two months. The winning youth entry will be screened at COP 16 in Mexico.

The international film competition is open to all ages and is free to enter; budding filmmakers must submit a short film (roughly one minute in length) about climate change. The films will be judged by professionals in the film and environmental industries. The deadline for entries is December 17; entries from filmmakers under 18 in the Best Youth Film category must be submitted by November 12.

As well as winning a variety of electronic and cash prizes, the winning movie in the Best Youth Film category will be screened in front of world leaders at the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change COP 16 in Cancun, Mexico, which runs November 29-December 10.

Arctic sea ice reaches annual minimum extent

The US National Snow and Ice Data Center reports that Arctic sea ice appears to have reached its annual minimum extent on 10 September. The minimum ice extent was the third-lowest in the satellite record, after 2007 and 2008, and continues the trend of decreasing summer sea ice.

Continuing Education Course: Decision Making for Climate Change

Taught by the Northern Climate ExChange, this two-part course is an overview of climate change science and policy, including the tools available for the integration of climate change considerations. Ideal for decision makers, managers and policy makers, participants will learn how to mainstream climate change into their planning and projects.

There are two seats left, so register today for the course, which takes place November 17th-December 1st.

WhiteCAP: Summer 2010 newsletter

The latest newsletter from WhiteCAP, the Whitehorse Community Climate Change Adaptation Project, is now available. It includes updates on the WhiteCAP project, as well as information on a public Call for Proposals for adaptation projects.

Webinar podcast and report: Decision-making for at-risk communities in a changing climate

Many communities in Alaska are faced with multiple threats to infrastructure and quality of life due, in part, to projected changes in precipitation, temperature, and related incidences of flooding and erosion. Decision-makers must determine how best to manage their community's vulnerability with the knowledge that future environmental change is uncertain.

This webinar podcast discusses a newly released report, Decision-making for at-risk communities in a changing climate, prepared by the Alaska Center for Climate Assessment and Policy. The report is intended to inform decision-makers relating to climate change and uncertainty, risk management, and relocation planning. Issues addressed regarding the planning process for relocation focus on the steps from planning through execution, perspectives on community engagement, partial relocation, site development costs, and timing.

10/10/10 – Global Work Party

The environmental group 350.org is organizing a "global work party" to take place on October 10, 2010. Calling it "A Day to Celebrate Climate Solutions", participants will focus on practical action to cut carbon within their communities. Anyone can join a work party, or you can organize a new one.

US National Snow and Ice Data Center: Arctic Marine Transportation data set

The US National Snow and Ice Data Center has published a new data set relevant to developing year-round transportation capabilities in the Arctic Ocean: Arctic Marine Transportation Program 1979-1986. The US Maritime Administration sponsored this multi-year program to define environmental conditions in the Bering, Chukchi, and Beaufort Seas; to obtain data to improve design criteria for ice-worthy ships and offshore structures; and to demonstrate the operational feasibility of commercial icebreaking ships along possible future Arctic marine routes. This data set consists of PDF documents of Arctic Marine Transportation Reports.

NOAA: Past decade warmest on record according to scientists in 48 countries

The 2009 State of the Climate report, released July 28 by the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), draws on data for 10 key climate indicators that all point to the same finding: the scientific evidence that our world is warming is unmistakable. More than 300 scientists from 160 research groups in 48 countries contributed to the report, which confirms that the past decade was the warmest on record and that the Earth has been growing warmer over the last 50 years.

Attention Canada! Preparing for our Energy Future

On June 4th, 2009, the Standing Senate Committee on Energy, the Environment and Natural Resources undertook a comprehensive study to examine and report on the current and future state of Canada's energy system.

Attention Canada! Preparing for our Energy Future is the committee's first interim report and concludes phase I of the study. It represents the culmination of nearly nine months of study and research including testimony from Canada's leading energy thinkers, research institutions and other stakeholders.

The message is clear: there is urgent need for a national discussion on energy. Canada requires a comprehensive Canadian Sustainable Energy Strategy now.

Arctic Biodiversity Trends 2010: Selected Indicators of Change

Unique Arctic habitats for flora and fauna, including sea ice, tundra, lakes, and peatlands have been disappearing over recent decades, and some characteristic Arctic species have shown a decline. The changes in Arctic Biodiversity have global repercussions and are further creating challenges for people living in the Arctic.

The above statements are examples on the key findings describing changes in Arctic biodiversity that is presented in Arctic Biodiversity Trends 2010: Selected Indicators of Change, a new report synthesizing scientific findings on the status and trends for selected biodiversity in the Arctic issued by the Conservation of Arctic Flora and Fauna Working Group under the Arctic Council.

Training for Transition Workshop

The Northern Climate ExChange is pleased to offer the Training for Transition Workshop: From oil dependence to local resilience. The global Transition movement offers a community based response to the twin challenges of climate change and peak oil. Learn how you can use the successful Transition model to strengthen local resilience, reduce fossil fuel dependency and unleash creative energy for change in your community.

Saturday and Sunday
Sept. 25th and 26th, 2010
9:00 am to 4:30 pm
The Old Fire Hall
First Avenue and Main Street
Whitehorse, Yukon

For more information contact Stephanie at (867) 668-2593 or , or Wendy at .

WhiteCAP: New Whitehorse temperature and precipitation maps

The NCE is currently spearheading the Whitehorse Community Climate Change Adaptation Project (WhiteCAP), to assist Whitehorse in developing a Climate Change Adaptation Plan. As part of this process, we've just received a set of temperature and precipitation maps that highlight the changes that can be expected by 2030 and 2050 due to climate change.

Soil Atlas of the Northern Circumpolar Region

Published by the European Commission's Joint Research Centre, this 144 page atlas is the result of a three-year collaborative project with partners from northern EU countries, as well as Norway, Iceland, Greenland, Canada, the USA and Russia and gives a detailed overview of circumpolar soil resources relevant also to agriculture, forest management, water management, land use planning, infrastructure and housing and energy transport networks. In a clear style, the atlas describes the origin and major characteristics of the different soil types that can be found in this environment.

Climate Change Indicators in the United States

A new report from the US Environmental Protection Agency, Climate Change Indicators in the United States, will help readers interpret a set of important indicators to better understand climate change. The report presents 24 indicators, each describing trends related to the causes and effects of climate change. It focuses primarily on the United States, but in some cases global trends are presented to provide context or a basis for comparison.

5th US Climate Action Report – draft released

The Fifth US Climate Action Report presents a detailed outline of the actions the US is taking to address climate change, contains updated projections on US greenhouse gas emissions, and underscores the United States commitment to address climate change.

Northern Energy Solutions Conference – presentations on-line

The Energy Solutions Centre in Whitehorse hosted the Northern Energy Solutions Conference on February 15-19, 2010. The conference focused on practical and current energy solutions for commercial and institutional structures and touched on residential housing and other energy issues. The presentations from this conference can now be viewed online.

Studies of Climate Change in the Yukon River Basin: Connecting Community and Science Through a Unique Partnership

An exciting new partnership between the US Geological Survey and the Yukon River Inter-Tribal Watershed Council is yielding critical data for the assessment of climate change effects in the Yukon River Basin. The foundation of this partnership is a shared interest in the current and future water quality of the Yukon River and its relation to climate.

Whitehorse Green Guide

This first edition of the Whitehorse Green Guide is now online. The Whitehorse Green Guide has been developed to help people identify where and what green products and services are available in Whitehorse and to provide information to help people make more sustainable choices. The website includes additional resources and information on green principles and practices and provides links to other supporting information and resources.

The Whitehorse Green Guide was developed by the Northern Climate ExChange in conjunction with the City of Whitehorse, The Government of Yukon, the Energy Solutions Centre, and the Yukon Federal Council.

Yukon Youth Outside the Box forum

Yukon Youth Outside the Box is a youth engagement forum on climate change. It takes place August 6-7 at Marsh Lake, and is open to youth aged 16-26.

This youth climate change forum will help participants understand how climate change is affecting Yukon and how youth can be a part of Yukon's response. It will empower and energize youth to find creative solutions for tackling climate change in the north.

This is the last call to register! Here's your chance to have a voice in Yukon climate change policy and action!

Blue Man Group takes on climate change

The Blue Man Group, founded in 1987 by New York performing artists Phil Stanton, Chris Wink and Matt Goldman, has taken up a new message, releasing a video on YouTube warning of inaction in the face of global climate change.

United Nations Environment Programme – Year Book 2010

The UNEP Year Book 2010 reports on new environmental science and recent developments in our changing environment. It looks at progress in environmental governance; the effects of continuing degradation and loss of the world's ecosystems; impacts of climate change; how harmful substances and hazardous waste affect human health and the environment; environmentally related disasters and conflicts; and unsustainable use of resources.

NCE Dawson Adaptation Project Closing Celebration – Open House in Dawson City

The Northern Climate ExChange will be celebrating the close of the Dawson Adaptation Project at an open house in Dawson City, YT on June 22, 2010 from 5:00 to 8:00 pm at the Tr'ondëk Hall. The agenda for the evening can be found on the Dawson Adaptation Project webpage.

The closure of the Dawson Adaptation Project marks a major milestone for the Community Adaptation Project, as Dawson is the first of three communities to complete the adaptation process.

The open house will provide an overview of the adaptation project and include presentations by community members who have implemented adaptation projects over the past year. Other speakers include members of Yukon Government, Yukon College, and the Dawson CAVIAR project.

Please come celebrate with us! Snacks and non-alcoholic drinks will be provided.

Join the Canadian Youth Delegation at the Cancun climate change conference

Applications are now open for the Canadian Youth Delegation to the United Nations Climate Change Meetings in Cancun, Mexico, taking place at the end of 2010 and for the leaders of the Canadian Youth Delegation Home Team. If you want to make a difference, learn about international climate policy, have a great time, build your capacity, work with a diverse group of youth from every province and territory in Canada, and support the international youth climate movement, then this opportunity is for you.

Applications are due by 6:00 pm PDT, Friday, June 11th, 2010.

New NASA website sheds light on science of warming world

Will 2010 be the warmest year on record? How do the recent US "Snowmageddon" winter storms and record low temperatures in Europe fit into the bigger picture of long-term global warming? NASA has launched a new website to help people better understand the causes and effects of Earth's changing climate.

The new "A Warming World" site hosts a series of new articles, videos, data visualizations, space-based imagery and interactive visuals that provide unique NASA perspectives on this topic of global importance.

Northern Bioenergy Conference

The Northern Bioenergy Conference will take place in Whitehorse, Yukon on May 26 & 27, 2010. This is the first bioenergy conference with a focus on Northern opportunities and potentials. The purpose of this two day conference is to provide Northern residents with relevant information on bioenergy, and to look at what territorial governments are doing to support a bioeconomy.

Updates on our Community Climate Change Adaptation Projects

The Northern Climate ExChange is assisting three Yukon communities to develop Climate Change Adaptation Plans through funds from the Northern Strategy. In December 2009, we completed the Climate Change Adaptation Plan for Dawson City. This plan will identify Dawson-specific initiatives for building resilience to a changing climate.

A similar project for Whitehorse, WhiteCAP, is currently underway.

New report says melting Arctic could cost $2.4 trillion by 2050

The Pew Environment Group has released a report that for the first time quantifies the global cost of the Arctic's declining ability to cool the climate, indicating that the rapid melting of the region could carry a minimum price tag of $2.4 trillion US by 2050.

State of the Climate: Global Analysis 2009

Produced by the US National Climatic Data Center, the State of the Climate Report summarizes data and trends in temperatures, precipitation, snow cover and sea ice.

2010 International Arctic Research Center Summer School

The International Arctic Research Center (IARC) is offering an interdisciplinary summer course: "Arctic in a changing climate: Physical and biological linkages to permafrost" at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, May 20-June 4, 2010.

Graduate students and young scientists in relevant fields are encouraged to apply for participation in the summer school. Advanced undergraduate students with strong qualifications will also be considered. The application package (application form, CV, and letter of recommendation from faculty member or supervisor) should be sent electronically to Tohru Saito at .

Application deadline: February 15, 2010

Canadian Geographic: Special Arctic International Polar Year Issue

The January/February 2010 issue of Canadian Geographic contains a polarpalooza of stories, ranging from an intimate portrayal of life at the Yukon's Kluane Lake Research Station to a profile of a student geographer from Labrador on exchange in Norway. We shine a spotlight on the largest ever Inuit health survey and the mysterious disappearance of mercury from the atmosphere when the Arctic sun rises. It's all part of our crucial quest to understand the North.

Arctic Stories

Video footage of life near the North Pole can be found on a new Web site that showcases the research, climate and culture of the Arctic region. Co-developed by Purdue University atmospheric chemist Paul Shepson and collaborating author Peter Lourie, the site takes visitors on a digital journey of life in the Arctic, describing how it may be changing and highlighting research under way in the Arctic Region near Barrow, Alaska.

Whitehorse Earth Day Challenge

The Yukon Environmental Network invites you to join in celebrating the 40th Anniversary of Earth Day, April 22, 2010 by participating in a friendly Earth Day Challenge. Businesses can enter the Corporate Challenge, youth can participate in the School Challenge, and schools can join the Schools for Change Challenge.

Yukon Environment Fair

On Saturday, April 17th, the Yukon government is hosting a free, family-friendly Environment Fair to connect the public with the people and organizations who help protect Yukon's ecosystems.

Scholarship Opportunity: Students on Ice Arctic Youth Expedition

Students on Ice is proud to offer several fully funded scholarships for their upcoming Arctic Youth Expedition from August 4-20, 2010. These scholarships are available to high school students between the ages of 14-18, from coast to coast to coast.

This expedition represents a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for youth to expand their knowledge about the circumpolar world, and to gain a global perspective of the Arctic, its wonders, and its present and future challenges.

The scholarship includes all travel expenses from home to the Arctic and return. Travel arrangements will be arranged by the Students on Ice office.

Application deadline: Thursday, April 15th, 2010

Online tips help Yukoners make energy efficient choices

A new series of information sheets designed to help people make energy efficient choices when renovating homes or buying new appliances has been produced by the Government of Yukon's Energy Solutions Centre.

Easy$ is an ongoing project to help Yukoners interested in making informed choices that will result in long term energy and cost savings. More information sheets will be added on a range of topics in the coming months.

True North: Adapting Infrastructure to Climate Change in Northern Canada

The National Round Table on the Environment and the Economy's report True North: Adapting Infrastructure to Climate Change in Northern Canada finds that "infrastructure and communities in Canada's North are unprepared to cope effectively with the looming threat that climate change poses to roads, buildings, industrial waste sites, energy and other critical infrastructure."

Climate 1-Stop

The Climate 1-Stop web site provides a single location to share and access climate change tools, resources and information, with a primary focus on adaptation in developing countries. The Climate 1-Stop is a partnership of southern and northern organizations working at all levels, from grass roots to global.

Earth Hour 2010

On March 27 at 8:30 pm, join hundreds of millions of people around the world in turning off your lights for an hour to demand action on climate change.

IPY – March Polar Week 2010

International Polar Year will be celebrating March Polar Week from March 15th-19th, 2010. This week will be an opportunity for researchers, educators, early career scientists, and students from across the globe to celebrate the partnerships, outreach, and scientific outcomes IPY has enabled regionally, nationally and internationally. It will also provide the IPY community with a chance to generate excitement as they prepare for the IPY Oslo Science Conference June 8-12, 2010.

Yukon Climate Change Secretariat Office: Open House

The Yukon Climate Change Secretariat is holding an Open House at their new location – 205 Rogers St. (behind the North Dragon Restaurant).

The Open House will take place on Thursday, March 4th and is open to the public from 12 noon to 2 pm. There will be a few local goodies and beverages to sample and Secretariat staff will be on hand to show how they've set up the office to "walk the talk" while taking action on climate change.

This occasion is an opportunity to celebrate the work done over the past year since the Yukon government released the Climate Change Action Plan.

To learn more about the Yukon Climate Change Secretariat and the Climate Change Action Plan all Yukon government departments and agencies are working on, visit www.environmentyukon.gov.yk.ca.

Ecological Encounters – The Wildlife of Yukon's Arctic Tundra: Patterns and Trends in a Warming World

Sunday, February 28th, 3:30 pm-5:00 pm, at the Yukon Wildlife Preserve (free for members, $15 for non-members). Presented by Dr. Don Reid of the Wildlife Conservation Society, coordinator of the Arctic WOLVES (Wildlife Observatories Linking Vulnerable EcoSystems) project. Dr. Reid will illustrate patterns and trends from Arctic WOLVES observations and discuss what they might mean for the future of wildlife on Yukon's arctic fringe.

Ecological Encounters may be a combination of formal presentation and outdoor observations at the preserve. Dress for the weather.

Please pre-register by contacting either Chris Wilkinson, Program Officer, or Clare Daitch, Program Manager, . Phone: (867) 456-7400.

NASA releases climate change multimedia resource reel

In advance of the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen, NASA has released a new multimedia climate change "resource reel" showcasing free downloadable videos, data visualizations, animations, and still images that illustrate key climate change concepts and discoveries.

The Carbon the World Forgot

Boreal forests store more carbon than any other terrestrial ecosystem on earth – twice as much per area as tropical forests. Past estimates of this carbon greatly underestimated the amount, depth, and longevity of this carbon. As the most intact remaining forest on earth, the boreal forest also has exceptionally high potential to accommodate plants and animals forced to shift due to climate change.

This report, The Carbon the World Forgot, questions whether international negotiations on carbon and forest protection have adequately considered boreal forests in light of the scientific findings outlining their significance.

Energy Solutions Centre: Northern Energy Solutions Conference

The Energy Solutions Centre will host the Northern Energy Solutions Conference on February 15-19, 2010 at the Yukon Inn in Whitehorse, Yukon. The conference will focus on practical and current energy solutions for commercial and institutional structures. It will also touch on transportation, residential housing and other energy issues.

The North has remote regions and different energy scenarios, weather trends and population bases, with energy issues requiring unique solutions. Together, we will learn the best practices and solutions for energy issues in the North.

What are the solutions that can be implemented now to conserve energy, reduce costs and limit GHG emissions? Delegates from Nunavut, Northwest and Yukon Territories and some southern regions will attempt to answer this question.

Date: February 15-19, 2010
Contact: Sean MacKinnon by e-mail at or by phone at (867) 393-7067

Saving caribou will curb climate change: new report

The Manitoba chapter of the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society (CPAWS) has produced a new report entitled Caribou and You. The report tells the story of the woodland caribou's decline and how saving the threatened species from extinction will help slow the effects of climate change.

Woodland caribou require immense, unbroken boreal wilderness to find enough food and avoid predators. As the boreal is the world's largest land-based storehouse of carbon, these vast intact spaces also help to curb climate change.

CBC "Doc Zone" – Carbon Hunters

"Doc Zone" presents the World Premiere of a timely and intriguing new documentary by Vancouver filmmaker/journalist Miro Cernetig, Carbon Hunters.

Carbon Hunters delves into the controversial, little-understood, yet booming industry of carbon credit trading as a potentially workable mechanism towards solving what most people now acknowledge as the greatest crisis facing the planet: global warming.

Airing Sunday, February 7, 2010 at 11 pm on CBC TV.

Nature Reports Climate Change: The climate change game

In this issue, Nature Reports Climate Change looks at the upcoming Copenhagen UN summit from the perspective of researchers who study cooperation, some of whom argue that trying to get an effective multi-faceted treaty agreed between 192 nations is a waste of time. Many behavioural economists say – and common sense dictates – that a strong agreement would be more easily negotiated between fewer parties.

Adaptation and Activism: Climate Change Lecture Series – "What Really Happened in Copenhagen"

"What Really Happened in Copenhagen" will be presented by Amber Church, National Director of the Canadian Youth Climate Coalition on Wednesday, February 3rd, at 7:00 pm at the McBride Museum, Whitehorse.

The recent United Nations climate change meetings in Copenhagen sparked interest and action worldwide. The Canadian Youth Delegation found themselves in the thick of it while on the ground in Denmark. Amber will talk about what happened in Copenhagen from her perspective and thoughts on where we go next.

This is the first in a series of free presentations on Climate Change offered through the Adaptation and Activism: Climate Change Lecture Series, co-hosted by the Northern Climate Exchange and the McBride Museum. Lectures run every Wednesday evening from 7:00pm-8:00pm at the McBride Museum from February 3rd until March 3rd, 2010.

To view bios of presenters and descriptions of the lectures please visit McBride's website at: www.macbridemuseum.com.

For more information please contact Meghan Larivee, NCE Communication and Outreach Coordinator, at (867) 456-8694 or .

Two new reports study Canadian greenhouse gas emission targets

The Pembina Institute and the David Suzuki Foundation teamed up to release a pair of reports in late October.

Climate Leadership, Economic Prosperity is the first Canadian study of its kind to show regional impacts on employment and gross domestic product, and the first to comprehensively examine how Canada can meet a greenhouse gas reduction target for 2020 that goes beyond the federal government's target.

In Exploration of Two Canadian Greenhouse Gas Emissions Targets, M.K. Jaccard and Associates reviewed the feasibility and cost of two levels of greenhouse gas emissions reduction in Canada. The first is a 25% reduction in GHG emissions below 1990 levels by 2020; the second is compliance with the Canadian government's announced commitment to a 20% reduction of GHG from 2006 levels by 2020.

WhiteCAP – Whitehorse Community Adaptation Project Community Vulnerability Scenarios: Open House

Date: January 14, 2010
Time: 5:00 - 9:00 pm
Where: Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada Games Centre, Meeting Room #2

The Northern Climate ExChange is hosting an open house to review and obtain feedback on the community climate change vulnerability scenarios that we have developed for the Whitehorse Climate Change Adaptation Plan. The scenarios explore how climate change may affect residents in the Whitehorse area.

If you are concerned about how climate change may affect Whitehorse, please come out and share your thoughts with us.

For more information contact: Ryan Hennessey, Community Adaptation Project Manager, (867) 668-8874, rhennessey@yukoncollege.yk.ca.

Snacks, tea and coffee will be provided.

Psychology and Global Climate Change: Addressing a Multi-faceted Phenomenon and Set of Challenges

The American Psychological Association Task Force on the Interface Between Psychology and Global Climate Change met in 2008-2009 to examine the role of psychology in understanding and addressing global climate change, including efforts to adapt to and mitigate climate change.

The task force's report reviews a wide range of research and practice relevant to climate change, including work in environmental and conservation psychology, studies of human responses to natural and technological disasters, efforts to encourage environmentally responsible behavior, and research on the psychosocial impacts of climate change.

Arctic Report Card 2009

Warming of the Arctic continues to be widespread, and in some cases, dramatic. Linkages between air, land, sea, and biology are evident. These are among the findings contained in the 2009 edition of the Arctic Report Card.

Issued annually, the Arctic Report Card is a timely source for clear, reliable and concise environmental information on the state of the Arctic, relative to historical time series records. Material presented in the Report Card is prepared by an international team of scientists and is peer-reviewed by topical experts of the Climate Experts Group of the Arctic Council.

Upcoming course: Climate Change in the Circumpolar World

Climate change is a critical topic for the North. Once again, Yukon College is offering a course on Climate Change in the Circumpolar World.

The 3-credit course, GEOG 290, looks at the science and local knowledge of climate, where we are coming from and where we are going. It examines the impacts of a warming globe on the North and how the North feeds back to the entire planet. The course addresses responses to climate change from adaptation to mitigation and from the personal to the political. The course begins January 5th, 2010.

Arctic Peoples, Culture, Resilience and Caribou

Arctic Peoples, Culture, Resilience and Caribou was approved as an International Polar Year project in 2008, to learn more about the potential effects and responses to declining caribou populations in the Canadian north. This project is led by a network of aboriginal organizations across northern Canada including the Arctic Athabaskan Council, Dene Nation, Gwich'in Council International, Inuit Circumpolar Council Canada, Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami as well as Trent University and the University of Alberta. Together we are working on a climate change adaptation project stressing the human ecology of caribou.

24-hour Vigil for Survival – Vigil of Hope

The Yukon Coalition for Climate Change Action's 24-hour Vigil for Survival – Vigil of Hope will be held from 3:50 p.m. on Friday, December 11th until 3:50 p.m. on Saturday, December 12th in front of the Elijah Smith Government Building on Main St. in Whitehorse, Yukon.

Millions of people will gather at vigils around the world to witness, show support and hold the intention that our world leaders will apply foresight and decisive action in creating the laws and policies needed to expedite humanity's timely transition to a fossil fuel free economy and ensure a carbon-neutral (negative), climate-safe future.

Yukon citizens will be holding a 24-hour candlelight vigil outdoors in front of the Federal Government Building. They are looking for people to support/contribute to the opening and closing ceremonies (bells will be rung to mark the opening and close of the vigil at 3:50 p.m. on Friday and 3:50 p.m. on Saturday). All are welcome to attend!

Global Day of Action: International Demonstrations on Climate Change

The Global Day of Action on climate has occurred every year since 2005 at the time of the annual United Nations talks on climate change. People from all around the world have come together on the same day to demand urgent action on climate, and climate justice, from the governments of the world meeting at the annual climate talks. The Global Day of Action 2009 will take place December 12th, during the UN COP 15/MOP 5 meetings in Copenhagen, Denmark.

A Framework for Forest Management Offset Protocols

A project of the Climate Change Task Force of the Canadian Council of Forest Ministers, the Framework for Forest Management Offset Protocols is designed as a reference document that identifies and examines technical issues involved in quantifying forest management carbon benefits.

Climate map shows world after 4 °C rise

A map launched at the Science Museum in London has been developed using the latest peer-reviewed science from the Met Office Hadley Centre and other leading impact scientists. It shows that the land will heat up more quickly than the sea, and high latitudes, particularly the Arctic, will have larger temperature increases.

UNEP Climate Change Science Compendium 2009

The UN Environment Programme's Climate Change Science Compendium is a review of some 400 major scientific contributions to our understanding of Earth systems and climate that have been released through peer-reviewed literature or from research institutions over the last three years, since the close of research for consideration by the IPCC Fourth Assessment Report.

The Compendium is not a consensus document or an update of any other process. Instead, it is a presentation of some exciting scientific findings, interpretations, ideas, and conclusions that have emerged among scientists.

Whitehorse Community Adaptation Project (WhiteCAP) – Bioregional Mapping Session

The Northern Climate ExChange is developing bioregional maps to support climate change adaptation planning in the community. These bioregional maps communicate regional values, and we invite you to participate in this project. Please come out and show us what about Whitehorse is important to you.

November 12th: 6:00-9:00 pm
November 19th: 6:00-9:00 pm
Yukon College, Room A2404

For more information contact:
Ryan Hennessey
NCE Community Adaptation Project Manager
(867) 668-8874
rhennessey@yukoncollege.yk.ca

Snacks, tea and coffee will be provided.

Arctic Climate Feedbacks: Global Implications

Warming in the Arctic could lead to flooding affecting one quarter of the world's population, substantial increases in greenhouse gas emissions from massive carbon pools, and extreme global weather changes, according to a new WWF report.

The Arctic Climate Feedbacks: Global Implications report, released September 2nd, outlines dire global consequences of a warming Arctic that are far worse than previous projections. The unprecedented peer-reviewed report brings together top climate scientists who have assessed the current science on Arctic warming.

Geoengineering the climate: Science, governance and uncertainty

The future of the Earth could rest on potentially dangerous and unproven geoengineering technologies unless emissions of carbon dioxide can be greatly reduced, the latest Royal Society report has found.

Geoengineering the climate: Science, governance and uncertainty (published September 1st by the Royal Society) found that unless future efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions are much more successful than they have been so far, additional action in the form of geoengineering will be necessary if we are to cool the planet.

Fifty-year record of glacier change reveals shifting climate in the Pacific Northwest and Alaska

Fifty years of US Geological Survey research on glacier change shows recent dramatic shrinkage of glaciers in three climatic regions of the United States. These long periods of record provide clues to the climate shifts that may be driving glacier change.

David Suzuki Foundation and Pembina Institute rank Canadian carbon offset vendors

Canadians heading off for summer vacation will have some help in making their holidays more environmentally friendly, thanks to a new guide ranking carbon offsets and vendors released today by the David Suzuki Foundation and the Pembina Institute. The groups are encouraging consumers to choose the highest quality carbon offsets.

New Bachelor of Science Program in the Yukon

In collaboration with the University of Alberta, Yukon College will be offering a Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Environmental and Conservation Sciences. Two public information sessions have been scheduled so you can learn more about the BSc Program, course offerings, and admissions for January and September 2010:

  • October 29th: Yukon College, Whitehorse (Ayamdigut), main lobby, 7:00-8:30 pm
  • October 30th: Community campuses via videoconference, 12:00-1:00 pm (please contact your Yukon College community campus for information on how to participate)

For more information, contact:

Power Shift 2009: 'Hug the Legislature' for Action on Climate Change

Bringing Youth Towards Equality (BYTE) and the Canadian Youth Climate Coalition invite Whitehorse citizens of all ages to stand in solidarity with tens of thousands of Canadians in Ottawa and across the nation as part of a global campaign to request that our national governments take decisive action on Climate Change at the upcoming UN Climate Conference in Copenhagen this December 2009.

On October 24th at noon, 350 people in Whitehorse will gather together to form a standing circle, hand-in-hand, around the Yukon Legislative Building on 2nd Avenue to send a powerful message to our government that Yukoners want Canada to take responsibility and leadership on acting to curb climate change.

350 is the number that climate scientists say is the acceptable upper limit for carbon dioxide-measured in "parts per million" in our atmosphere.

Sign up and commit to be one of the 350! To get your designated number:

For more information please contact Matthew Koop-Pearce, Office and Project Assistant, BYTE at (867) 667-7975.

Webinar – Alliance for Resilient Cities: Community Adaptation Planning in Yukon

On October 20th, 2009, the Northern Climate ExChange's Community Adaptation Project Manager, Ryan Hennessey, will be presenting a webinar on community adaptation planning in Yukon to the Alliance for Resilient Cities/Clean Air Partnership.

Ryan will discuss the ongoing NCE Community Climate Change Adaptation Project (CCCAP), including some of the details of how the plan was developed, some of the challenges that the planning team has experienced and next steps for CCCAP in 2009/10.

Communities and interested persons wishing to participate in the webinar, should pre-register by contacting .

Whitehorse Green Drinks

Green Drinks is a free-form event, held monthly in cities around the world. Environmental like-minds, those working in the sector or those who would like to, those who are passionate about environmental issues or those who are just curious about 'greening' up their lives, come together to share a drink and chat in a relaxed informal setting.

Come out to the launch of Whitehorse Green Drinks on Tuesday, October 20th at the Capitol from 4:30 pm onward for a casual drink to discuss environmental topics. Future meetings will happen on the third Tuesday of every month.

Contact us at for more details. We look forward to meeting you!

Dawson Adaptation Plan Open House

The Northern Climate ExChange will be holding an Open House on October 19th to review and accept feedback from the Community of Dawson on the second draft of the Dawson Adaptation Plan.

Come see how Dawson residents may be vulnerable to climate change and what adaptations were proposed by the community to create an effective response strategy. We will also announce which adaptation projects have been accepted by the Dawson Local Advisory Committee for implementation over the next year.

The Open House will be held at the Tr'ondëk Hwëch'in Community Hall from 5:00-9:00 pm.

For more information, contact:
Sebastian Jones, Dawson Adaptation Coordinator
Northern Climate ExChange, Yukon College
(867) 993-4401

Job opportunity: Communications/Outreach Intern

The Northern Climate ExChange, through the Youth Eco Internship Program, is looking for an intern to update and maintain the NCE climate change communications strategy; provide information on climate change to the general public; contribute to the coordination of climate change outreach programs in the Yukon; and coordinate, promote and support community events.

This is a paid internship and will last from 6 to 9 months. The initial review date for applications is October 16, 2009.

"The Age of Stupid"

Film screening: "The Age of Stupid"

The Northern Climate ExChange is pleased to invite you to a screening of the new feature-length cinema-documentary, "The Age of Stupid." It takes place Thursday, October 15, 2009 at the Yukon College gym (behind the Yukon Archives) in Whitehorse. The doors open at 6:30 pm and the show starts at 7:00. Seating is limited, so please arrive early.

"The Age of Stupid" is the new cinema documentary from the director of "McLibel" and the producer of the Oscar-winning "One Day In September". This enormously ambitious drama-documentary-animation hybrid stars Oscar-nominated Pete Postlethwaite as an old man living in the devastated world of 2055, watching "archive" footage from 2008 and asking: why didn't we stop climate change while we had the chance?

Climate in Peril – A popular guide to the latest IPCC reports

This book, intended for lay readers, presents the substance of the Climate Change 2007 Synthesis Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change in simplified language and structure.

Global Climate Change Impacts in the United States

This report summarizes the science and the impacts of climate change on the United States, now and in the future. It focuses on climate change impacts in different regions of the US and on various aspects of society and the economy such as energy, water, agriculture, and health. It's also a report written in plain language, with the goal of better informing public and private decision making at all levels.

Senate Report: "With Respect, Canada's North"

The Senate Committee on Energy, the Environment and Natural Resources travelled to the Western Arctic in June 2008 to understand what climate change, resource development and the new focus on sovereignty means for the North. The final report, entitled "With Respect, Canada's North", released May 13, 2009, details the committee's view of partnership opportunities between the federal government and northerners to meet the coming challenges.

Arctic Marine Shipping Assessment 2009 Report Released

The Protection of the Arctic Marine Environment working group of the Arctic Council has released the Arctic Marine Shipping Assessment 2009 Report. This extensive and well-illustrated document, supported by Canada, Finland and the United States and recently approved by the Arctic Council, represents a four-year effort to consider and review all aspects of Arctic shipping. It includes extensive documentation of shipping activities from a baseline year (2004) and future projections in key areas such as environmental protection, marine infrastructure, human dimensions, and governance. It contains a series of very useful maps and charts.

AMAP 2009 Climate Update

The Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme (AMAP) has published an "Update on Selected Climate Issues of Concern", which summarizes how climate change is currently affecting the Arctic, discusses the impact of non-CO2 emissions such as black carbon and methane, and explores the role of the Arctic carbon cycle on the global climate.

Yukon Cold Climate Innovation Centre

The Yukon Cold Climate Innovation Centre (YCCIC) is a partnership between applied researchers, industry and government dedicated to developing, commercializing and exporting sustainable cold climate technologies. Located at the Whitehorse campus of Yukon College, YCCIC provides workspace, resources, institutional facilities and strategic partnerships to cold climate innovators and the centre serves as a nucleus for cold climate entrepreneurship.

Yukon Science Institute public lecture: Fire on the Mountain

Join Dave Milne of Yukon Wildland Fire Management on Sunday, September 20, 2009, at 7:30 pm at the Beringia Centre in Whitehorse for a close look at the Yukon's forest fire regime and how it might be changing. YSI events are free and open to all.

Yukon Government Climate Change Action Plan

It is the belief of the Yukon government that climate change is happening, that human behaviour is a major contributor, and that a coordinated response is needed. The Climate Change Action Plan sets out how the Yukon government is responding to climate change. It shows us actions now underway as well as what new or enhanced actions would help advance our priorities.

Territorial government releases Energy Strategy for Yukon

Energy, Mines and Resources Minister Brad Cathers released Yukon's energy strategy on January 23, 2009. The Energy Strategy for Yukon details a long-term vision for the responsible development of energy resources for the benefit of Yukon's people, businesses and the environment.

Last chance: IPY Youth Time Capsule Writing Contest

The International Polar Year Youth Time Capsule Project Committee is holding a writing contest for Pan-Arctic youth, and is calling for submissions about life in the north that will be included in the IPY Time Capsule, to be re-opened 25 years from now. Youth between the ages of 12 and 18, who are interested in submitting an entry to the writing contest, are asked to submit a one-page piece of writing, in any format (prose, poetry, etc). The deadline for entries is August 31st, 2009.

Call for proposals: Dawson Climate Change Adaptation Project

The Dawson Climate Change Adaptation Plan has been engaged over the past 18 months in developing ways for the residents of Dawson City, in the traditional territory of the Tr'ondëk Hwëch'in, to live with and to take advantage of the changes that are anticipated over the next half century as a result of man-made climate change. A draft plan has been completed, and the final stage of the project will be to implement the plan.

There is a total of up to $90,000 available, ideally to be used as seed money, to be divided between several projects. The deadline for submission of proposals is August 20th.

Job opportunities at the Northern Research Institute

The Northern Research Institute is looking for a Project Coordinator and a Technical Analyst for their Regional Climate Change Scenarios project. These are term positions to March 31, 2010. Review of applications will begin on August 10, 2009 and will continue until the position is filled.

2008-09 NCE Annual Report

The 2008-09 NCE Annual Report is now available to download. It gives details on our projects, programs, and activities between April 1, 2008 and March 31, 2009.

Dawson Adaptation Project: Adaptation Times November issue

The November issue of the Adaptation Times, our quarterly Dawson Adaptation Project newsletter, is now available online. It includes articles on the increasing speed of climate change and what this means for Dawson City, an update on the CAVIAR project, and much more!

2009 Young Leaders' Summit on Northern Climate Change

Are you concerned about climate change and what it means for the future? Do you want to make your voice heard and be part of the solution? The Young Leaders' Summit on Northern Climate Change is your opportunity!

The 2009 Young Leaders' Summit on Northern Climate Change will take place in Inuvik, Northwest Territories, August 17 to 20, 2009. There is no cost to participate in the summit, however there is an application process. The summit is open to youth aged 18 to 30; younger participants will be considered based on their application. Applications will be accepted until July 15.

Pedal for the Planet – Whitehorse kick off June 26

If you are concerned about climate change, come out and join 17-year-old Malkolm Boothroyd at the kickoff rally for his "Pedal for the Planet" campaign. Malkolm will be cycling from Whitehorse, Yukon towards Ottawa, Ontario. He and his group plan to arrive at Parliament for the beginning of the fall session where they will urge governments to take bolder action on climate change.

The kickoff event will take place on Friday, June 26 at 5 pm at Rotary Park in Whitehorse. This will be followed by a short walk or bike ride. Please come to help raise support for climate change action!

Youth internship opportunity

The Circumpolar Young Leaders Program (CYLP) provides northern youth with training and work experience at leading organizations in Arctic countries and/or with organizations in the south working on Arctic issues. CYLP is now accepting applications for 5 internships for young people between the ages of 20-30 living in or originally from Nunavut, NWT, Yukon, Northern Quebec, and/or Labrador. Training takes place in September followed immediately by 6 month placements. Deadline for applications is June 22, 2009.

Frequently Asked Questions about the Science of Climate Change – 2008 Update

Canadians frequently ask questions that indicate considerable public confusion about many aspects of climate change science. Some of this confusion stems simply from the fact that the climate system is extremely complex. Some of the confusion may also stem from the fact that there are many different sources of information available on climate change science and not all of these tell the same story.

This document was published by Environment Canada to provide reliable, credible responses to the most frequently heard questions and arguments about climate change science. Responses are based on fundamental, well-accepted principles of physics, on the highly acclaimed international science assessment reports of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, and on recent peer-reviewed scientific papers.

WWF 2008 Living Planet Report

The World Wildlife Fund's 2008 Living Planet Report looks at the cause and effect relationships which determine the Earth's health. Key to the report is the Living Planet Index, used to map out the state of the world's ecosystems, and our Ecological Footprint. This year the report also examines the impact of our consumption of the Earth's water resources and our growing vulnerability to water scarcity, which now affects over 50 countries on this planet.

NOAA's Third Annual Arctic Report Card

Introduced in 2006 by the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Climate Program Office, the Arctic Report Card is a means of presenting clear, reliable and concise information on recent observations of environmental conditions in the Arctic, relative to historical time series records. Issued annually, it tracks the Arctic atmosphere, sea ice, biology, ocean, land and Greenland and provides a method of updating and expanding the content of the State of the Arctic Report, published in fall 2006, to reflect the current conditions.

Eco-Challenge Student Grant Program

Are you a high school student who has done great things to help protect the environment at your school or in your community? Would you like to learn more about the impact we are having on the planet in one of the world's greatest classrooms?

Through its Eco-Challenge student grant program, Brita is looking to send three of Canada's most promising young environmentalists on a life-changing educational expedition to the Arctic this July.

The deadline for submissions has been extended to June 7, 2009. You must be able to travel between July 29 and August 14, 2009 to qualify.

Welcome, Lacia!

The Northern Climate ExChange would like to welcome Lacia Kinnear, who has recently taken over as NCE coordinator. She succeeds Jen Turner, who has moved south to work on climate change issues with the BC government. You can learn more about Lacia in our About us page.

Free workshops: shrink your carbon footprint

Concerned about climate change? Want to be part of positive change? Join the Sierra Club of BC, the Northern Climate ExChange, and Yukon College in fun, interesting and practical workshops about reducing our carbon footprint at work and home.

  • Workshop #1: Saturday, March 28 – 9:30-11:30 am
  • Workshop #2: Saturday, March 28 – 12:00-2:00 pm

The workshops will be held at Yukon College in the Main Building, Room A2402. For more information contact Lacia Kinnear at (867) 668-8862.

Earth Hour 2009

This year, on March 28th at 8:30 pm local time, millions of Canadians will turn off their lights for Earth Hour in support of action on climate change. By signing up for Earth Hour, you will be entered in draw to win a trip for two to Churchill, Manitoba to see polar bears in their natural habitat.

International Polar Year Celebration Event

The Yukon International Polar Year Coordination office, hosted by the Council of Yukon First Nations, in partnership with Yukon College, the Yukon Northern Contaminants Program and Indian and Northern Affairs Yukon communications, are hosting an International Polar Year Celebration Event to highlight Yukon IPY research. The event will be held at the Yukon College distance learning facilities and community campus, room C1440 (glass class) on Thursday, March 5th, 2009 from 12-2 pm.

For the past 2 years, researchers from more than 60 countries have been active in the Arctic and Antarctic. Although the official IPY research period began on March 1st, 2007 and ended on March 1st, 2009, research and communications activities will continue for another year or two. Here in the Yukon, there have been 16 projects conducting research. This IPY event will feature updates and presentations from International Polar Year projects active in the Yukon.

As well as presentations, there will be posters, slideshows and information sheets from other Yukon research projects available for viewing. Free IPY pins, new circumpolar maps and posters are available until supplies run out! Light snacks will be served. This program will be broadcast to some of Yukon College's community campuses using their distance learning facilities. For more information contact (867) 393-9237.

Climate change lecture series concludes Wednesday

The Northern Climate ExChange and the MacBride Museum of Yukon History are teaming up to deliver a series of lectures on our changing climate. The final lecture in the series takes place on March 4th at 7 pm. Lia Johnson will talk abou the United Nations Climate Change Conference she attended in December 2008, as a member of the Canadian Youth Delegation.

The lecture will be at the MacBride Museum at 1124 First Avenue, and admission is free. We hope to see you there!

Dawson Community Adaptation Meeting: March 2, 2009

The Northern Climate ExChange will be hosting a second community meeting in Dawson City on March 2, 2009 to conclude the vulnerability assessment component of the Dawson Climate Change Adaptation Project. At the one-day meeting, NCE will review the detailed climate change impacts scenario that has been developed over the past year in collaboration with the community and with the Dawson CAVIAR Project, lead by Frank Duerden of Ryerson University. At the meeting, the community of Dawson will be invited to propose adaptive strategies to respond to the impacts scenario and discuss how local scale and capacity will influence the implementation of proposed projects.

The Dawson Community Climate Change Adaptation Plan will be developed from the meeting results for release in Summer 2009.

WWF says climate change accelerating faster than anticipated

A new report from the World Wildlife Fund, "Climate change: faster, stronger, sooner", finds that climate change is accelerating at a faster rate than climate change experts had previously predicted. Thre report amalgamates new scientific data collected in the year since the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change released their Fourth Assessment Report.

Arctic Climate Impact Science – an update since ACIA

This report, commissioned by WWF International Arctic Programme, presents a wide-ranging review of Arctic climate impact science published since the Arctic Climate Impact Assessment (ACIA) in 2005. It spans the width of subject areas, covering impacts on physical and biological systems, as well as on humanity. The report presents the scientific evidence for Arctic climate change impacts in review sections, each of which targets a particular Arctic system or cross-cutting Arctic theme. A separate bullet-point section highlights what expert reviewers, authors, and editors rank as the most important findings.

Health Canada report warns of climate change impacts on human health

On July 31 Health Canada released "Human Health in a Changing Climate: A Canadian Assessment of Vulnerabilities and Adaptive Capacity." The report is available to download here on the NCE website, or you can request a PDF copy by contacting the government at ccadaptation@hc-sc.gc.ca.

Canada's Offset System for Greenhouse Gases: Guide for Protocol Developers

The Offset System is one component of Turning the Corner, the Government of Canada's plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. It is designed to encourage projects that reduce GHGs through voluntary actions. Information about the Offset System is provided in a series of Guides.

First National Engineering Assessment Report – Adapting to Climate Change

To meet the climate change challenge, Engineers Canada and its partners have established the Public Infrastructure Engineering Vulnerability Committee. Co-funded by Natural Resources Canada and Engineers Canada, the Vulnerability Committee is a major Canadian initiative involving all three levels of government and non-governmental organizations. It is looking broadly and systematically at infrastructure vulnerability to climate change from an engineering perspective. The Committee's work has resulted in the First National Engineering Vulnerability Assessment.

New David Suzuki Foundation report assesses provincial & territorial climate change plans

A new report from the David Suzuki Foundation looks at provincial and territorial action on climate change, compares their greenhouse gas emissions, assesses their climate change plans and evaluates their records.

COP 14 – Poznan, Poland

The fourteenth Conference of the Parties (COP 14) to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) opened on Monday morning in Poznan, Poland. From December 1st-12th delegates from around the world will be meeting to try and agree on a successor to the Kyoto Protocol.

The diary of an Arctic explorer

BBC environment correspondent David Shukman travels to Alaska, to find out how the Arctic's people and ecosystems are coping with the change to a warmer climate. Sea-ice during the 2007 melt season shrunk to its smallest extent since satellite measurements began in 1979. This season's minimum, which will be set in the next few days, will come close to last year's record.

Staff changes at the Northern Climate ExChange

We'd like to welcome Ryan Hennessey, who has moved in to the Community Adaptation Project Manager position here at the Northern Climate ExChange. He will be replacing Lewis Rifkind, who is taking up a position with the Yukon Conservation Society. Ryan has lots of experience in Climate Change Adaptation, having previously worked with the Canadian Climate Impacts and Adaptation Research Network (C-CIARN) in Nova Scotia. His contact information con be found in our Contact us page.

Jen Turner, the Coordinator of the Northern Climate ExChange, will be moving to Victoria, British Columbia to take up a position with the BC Government's Climate Change Section. As a result, we will be looking for a new Coordinator. Further details on the position will be posted soon. In the meantime, for more information contact Clint Sawicki, Manager of the Northern Research Institute, at (867) 668-8772.

From all of us here at the NCE, best of luck to Jen and Lewis in their future endeavours, and thanks for all the hard work!

Dawson Adaptation Project: August update

The latest e-mail update from our Dawson Adaptation Project is now available to peruse. Updates will be sent out to keep the community informed about what has happened so far and to give notice of upcoming events.

Election 2008 – Where the parties stand on climate change

One of the key issues in this campaign will be the direction Canada should take on climate change. CBC News has compiled the following analysis of each party's policies and plans.

Dawson Adaptation Project: June/July update

Our Dawson Adaptation Project has released its first e-mail update. Updates will be sent out to keep the community informed about what has happened so far and to give notice of upcoming events.

New report predicts weather extremes for North America

A new climate assessment by the US Climate Change Science Program predicts that droughts, heavy downpours, excessive heat, and intense hurricanes are likely to become more commonplace in North America as humans continue to increase the atmospheric concentrations of heat-trapping greenhouse gases. The report is based on scientific evidence that a warming world will be accompanied by changes in the intensity, duration, frequency, and geographic extent of weather and climate extremes.

NCE Library

The NCE has amassed a large collection of publications, research papers, and other print materials on climate change and adaptation. Now, the contents of our library are searchable online.

Papers published from 2005 Rapid Landscape Change Conference

The Rapid Landscape Change Conference was held in Whitehorse in June 2005, and reviewed current research on the effects of climate and landscape change in the North throughout the Holocene, and on the chronology and nature of past environmental events. A selection of papers from the conference has just now been published in The Northern Review #28. Conference participants may obtain PDFs of specific papers upon request to review@yukoncollege.yk.ca.

Kick the Habit: a UN guide to climate neutrality

A new book from the United Nations Environment Programme gives people information on how to reduce their carbon footprint without drastic lifestyle changes. Released on World Environment Day 2008, "Kick the Habit" contains simple tips and techniques for living a climate-friendly life.

New International Polar Year educational resources

The Royal Canadian Geographical Society, in collaboration with the Canadian Council for Geographic Education and the Canadian Polar Commission, has developed a set of bilingual lesson plans on Canada's North for elementary, intermediate and secondary schools in Canada to mark International Polar Year (IPY).

In support of IPY's aim to engender the next generation of polar scientists, these lesson plans are certain to kindle an interest in the study of the Canadian North – its human and physical geography, and its past, present and future challenges. They offer teachers and students intriguing opportunities to explore and discover Northern issues from climate change and resource industries to transportation and Inuit settlement.

The lesson plans are freely available for viewing and downloading in word document or PDF formats.

NCE Dawson Adaptation Project – newsletter and posters available

The Northern Climate ExChange is participating in the development of a Climate Change Adaptation Plan for Dawson City. We will be publishing a quarterly newsletter, the Adaptation Times, to keep residents of Dawson City informed about the project. The May 2008 issue is now available. We have also produced a set of posters that explain the project and give background on climate change, adaptation, and ongoing research.

2006-2007 NCE Annual Report

The latest edition of the Northern Climate ExChange Annual Report is now available to download. This report will tell you all you ever wanted to know about the NCE's activities and projects from April 1, 2006 to March 31, 2007.

Human Activity And The Environment: Climate Change in Canada, 1990 to 2005

Canada's emissions of greenhouse gases, major contributors to climate change, rose 25% between 1990 and 2005. However, without increases in energy efficiency, the increase in emissions would have been even greater. This compilation of the most recent statistics related to climate change in Canada is published in the 2007 and 2008 edition of Human Activity and the Environment, Statistics Canada's compendium of information on how Canadians interact with their environment.

Turning the Corner: An action plan to reduce greenhouse gases and air pollution

On March 10 the Government of Canada published details of the Turning the Corner regulatory framework originally announced on April 26, 2007. The documents, posted to Environment Canada's website, provide additional details about how the Government of Canada will move forward with its plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

This plan includes mandatory reductions for industry, along with additional new measures to address two of Canada's key emitting sectors: oil sands and electricity.

From Impacts to Adaptation: Canada in a Changing Climate 2007

From Impacts to Adaptation: Canada in a Changing Climate 2007 reflects the advances made in understanding Canada's vulnerability to climate change during the past decade. Through a primarily regional approach, this assessment discusses current and future risks and opportunities that climate change presents to Canada, with a focus on human and managed systems. It is based on a critical analysis of existing knowledge, drawn from the published scientific and technical literature and from expert knowledge. The current state of understanding is presented, and key knowledge gaps are identified. Advances in understanding adaptation, as well as examples of recent and ongoing adaptation initiatives, are highlighted throughout the report.

Dawson Adaptation Project: June/July update

Our Dawson Adaptation Project has released its first e-mail update. Updates will be sent out to keep the community informed about what has happened so far and to give notice of upcoming events.

Ice diary: Science in the fast-changing Arctic

The BBC's Liz Kalaugher travelled aboard the Amundsen, a Canadian Coast Guard vessel, from June 19-26. She joined an expedition investigating the effects of climate change off Banks Island and wrote a daily diary from the High Arctic.

Federal Liberals unveil proposed carbon tax

The Liberal Party released details of their carbon tax plan on June 19. It would shift roughly $15 billion in taxation to polluters while reducing other taxes by an equal amount in an attempt to keep the plan revenue-neutral.

2008 Yukon Snow Survey Bulletin and Water Supply Forecast

The May edition of the Yukon Snow Survey Bulletin and Water Supply Forecast is now available online. The bulletin is published in March, April and May of each year, and provides a summary of winter meteorological and streamflow conditions for the Yukon, as well as current snow depth and snow water equivalent observations for 56 locations. This information is used to make projections of total volume runoff for the summer period, and an estimate of peak flow for the main river basins and sub-basins.

Waterlution: The Future of Water Workshop Series 2008 – Engaging Youth on Water Issues

Waterlution is a two-day residential workshop to engage youth from the Yukon Territory in dialogue surrounding current water issues in the region, specifically on topics related to First Nations tribal boundaries, local knowledge and integrating scientific insights from theInternational Polar Year water areas. The workshop will be held August 1-3, 2008, and will be based at the Vista Outdoor Learning Centre located just north of Whitehorse.

20 individuals aged 20-35 years will be participating in the workshop. To apply, submit a one-page application letter describing why you are interested in learning about current water issues in Yukon; what potential you see in inter-sectoral dialogue; and what background you will bring to the discussion. Please submit your application to Karen Kun, Waterlution at karen@waterlution.org.

Yukon Youth Engagement Forum

If you're aged 16-25, plan to attend the Yukon Youth Engagement Forum: A Summit to Discuss Climate Change. From July 25th to 27th, 2008, thirty youth will meet at the Sprucewind Girl Guide Camp at Marsh Lake, Yukon to discuss climate change, develop team building and leadership skills, get active in a response and participate in the Yukon government policy process.

Some funding is available for travel, if you need assistance. You will be responsible for bringing your own sleeping and personal gear (tents will be provided). The organisers will provide all the food, do all the cooking, arrange for transportation and logistics (let them know if you have any food allergies or sensitivities). You will have access to the lodge at the camp for cooking, eating and some activities but will be sleeping outside in tents.

For more information, contact Johanna Smith, Yukon Government Climate Change Coordinator, at (867) 633-7971 or johanna.smith@gov.yk.ca.

Government of Yukon draft Climate Change Action Plan and draft Energy Strategy – call for public consultation

The Government of Yukon has released two draft documents for public consultation. Anyone interested in submitting feedback has until June 30 to comment on the draft Energy Strategy and July 31 to comment on the Climate Change Action Plan.

Symposium – Planning For Climate Change: Weathering Uncertainty

The City of Iqaluit, the Canadian Institute of Planners and the Alberta Association of CIP invite you to join a group of leading-edge thinkers, researchers and practitioners on an interdisciplinary journey of discovery and mutual learning from July 20-23, 2008. The Northern Climate ExChange will be there, presenting on the Dawson Community Adaptation Project that is currently underway.

Register now – space is limited to 200 participants.

CIER spring workshops

The Centre for Indigenous Environmental Resources is holding a number of workshops this spring that focus on climate change, environmental assessment, and community planning. The workshops will be held in June at CIER's Winnipeg office. Please register before May 30, 2008.

Northern Sustainability Symposium

Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, in partnership with Indian and Northern Affairs Canada and Yukon Housing Corporation, invite your attendance at the Northern Sustainability Symposium on June 17-18, 2008, at the Downtown Hotel, Dawson City, Yukon.

The symposium will be an opportunity to learn about the latest research and innovative approaches in the housing industry. A wide range of speakers, who are leaders in the development of sustainable communities and energy efficient construction practices will make presentations and be available to answer questions. The symposium will also highlight the newly constructed Tr'ondëk Hwëch'in First Nation Sustainable Demonstration Home.

There is no registration fee for this event, however space is limited and pre-registration is required. Please RSVP the CMHC Whitehorse office no later than June 6, 2008. Please email your intention to attend to jeholway@cmhc.ca or call (867) 633-7535 or fax (867) 633-7542.

Yukon Energy Strategy open house – TONIGHT!

Yukoners are invited to learn more about the Government of Yukon's draft energy strategy and provide comments at an open house. It takes place at the Energy Solutions Centre (206A Lowe Street, Whitehorse) on Wednesday, June 11th from 3:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

For more information go to www.gov.yk.ca or call (867) 456-6843.

Dawson City Community Action Plan and Forum Report

In February 2006, the Yukon Fish and Wildlife Management Board organized a climate change forum in partnership with Northern Climate ExChange, among others. The goal of this forum was to develop a community-driven action plan on adapting to and mitigating for climate change. The plan was developed through a series of workshops and meetings and will form the background to adaptation work that NCE is currently undertaking. The Action Plan and Forum Report are now available to download.

Yukon State of Play Report

Produced by C-CIARN North in June 2007, the State of Play Report looks at climate change impacts and adaptation work in the Yukon. The report identifies gaps in climate change research, and sets out what works and what doesn't for communicating climate change information.

Canada's top science writers to descend on Yukon for conference this weekend

The Canadian Science Writers' Association (CSWA) invites Yukon residents to spend four days with scientists, students, journalists, policy-makers, and the news-makers of today and tomorrow at the CSWA's Annual Meeting in Canada's North. This May 24-27, the Yukon will host the annual conference of the Canadian Science Writers' Association and you're invited to take part, starting May 24 in Whitehorse and ending at Haines Junction.

New maps detail carbon storage in the Canadian boreal forest

On December 8th the International Boreal Conservation Campaign (IBCC) released a set of maps that illustrate the importance of Canada's boreal forest in the global carbon cycle. According to IBCC Senior Scientist Dr. Jeff Wells, "the boreal is to carbon what Fort Knox is to gold. These maps document where and how these vital reserves – a virtual shield against global warming – are distributed across Canada. We should do everything we can to ensure that the carbon in these storehouses is not released."

WWF Polar Bear Tracker

For one year, WWF-Canada is tracking six female polar bears with cubs in the Hudson Bay region. Collars on the bears' necks record their positions and beam the information back to scientists via satellite. This research provides regular updates about how the bears behave in their Arctic environment and to determine how they may be affected by climate change.

Environment Forum 2008

Join people from across the territory to discuss environmental trends that all of us will have to consider in the years to come.

On Wednesday, May 21st, Environment "After Hours" features Ed Struzik, who will present This Hour has 55 Million Years: A Brief History of Climate Change in the Arctic. You'll also be able to meet and chat with Environment Yukon and Environment Canada staff who will be eager to discuss their current projects. It starts at 7:00 pm at the Yukon College Gymnasium, and everyone is welcome to attend.

On Thursday, May 22nd, the day-long Environment Forum will include a variety of informative sessions on environmental change and adaptation. It takes place at Yukon College and begins at 8:30 am – capacity is limited so if you're interested, you should pre-register online.

Budget 2008

The 2008 federal budget includes money for carbon capture, carbon trading, and public transit, but eliminates the year-old rebate for low-emission vehicles.

David Suzuki Foundation calls for federal carbon tax

A new report from the David Suzuki Foundation finds a federal carbon tax or trading system would dramatically reduce greenhouse gas emissions, protect the environment and generate revenue of at least $50 billion per year by 2020 – money that could be used to spur green innovation and could greatly reduce personal income taxes.

National Round Table on the Environment and the Economy recommends carbon tax

Canada can achieve deep greenhouse gas emission reductions by 2050, but only by putting a price on carbon emissions throughout the entire Canadian economy beginning as soon as possible, concludes the National Round Table on the Environment and the Economy (NRTEE) in a new climate change report released January 7.

The central recommendation of the report is to establish an economy-wide price signal for carbon emissions as soon as possible. The NRTEE research shows that the most effective and efficient policy that would result in deep GHG emission reductions is a market-based policy, such as an emissions tax, a cap-and-trade system, or a combination of the two. In order to achieve the deep emission reduction target, this policy would need to be complemented by other sector-specific regulatory measures to force emission reductions from those parts of the economy that do not respond to a price signal.

United Nations Convention on Climate Change: What was learned and what's next

Johanna Smith, Climate Change Coordinator with Environment Yukon, attended the United Nations Convention on Climate Change in Bali in December 2007. She was on-hand to witness the adoption of the "Bali roadmap", the foundation upon which a future international agreement on climate change will be built. Join us for a first-hand account of the conference in Bali, what was learned and the next steps on the international agenda.

Presented by the Institute of Public Administration of Canada – Yukon Region.

  • When: Friday, April 4, 2008
  • Time: Noon to 1 pm
  • Where: Whitehorse Public Library Meeting Rooms
  • Cost: Free of charge

The Climate Project – Canada

As part of his Climate Project commitment, former US Vice-President and Nobel Laureate Al Gore has trained 2,000 people around the world (including 21 Canadians) to present a personalized and localized version of the slideshow on which the Academy Award-winning film An Inconvenient Truth is based. Following the initial US training sessions, similar trainings have been held in Australia, Spain and the United Kingdom with more planned for India, China – and now Canada.

From April 4-6, 2008, people across Canada from all walks of life will gather in Montreal, Quebec for a rare opportunity: to be trained by Al Gore to become one of 200 climate change presenters.

Earth Hour 2008

On March 29, 2008, cities across Canada, and around the world will turn off their lights at 8 p.m. for Earth Hour, a WWF event to raise awareness about climate change and symbolize that, working together the people of the world can make a difference in the fight against climate change.

New global survey lets on-the-ground climate decision makers be heard

A fascinating picture has emerged from a unique survey of 1,000 climate decision makers and influencers from across 105 countries conducted by GlobeScan in the two weeks leading up to the Bali Climate Conference. Unlike public opinion polls, this survey focuses on the views of professionals in position to make or influence large decisions in their organizations and society.

New carbon calculator aims to conserve forests

A new online carbon calculator helps people easily calculate how much they are adding to global greenhouse gases. The Conservation International carbon calculator offers a way to offset those emissions by helping protect tropical forests from being burned and cleared.

IARC Summer School on the Modeling of Arctic Climate

The International Arctic Research Center at the University of Alaska Fairbanks will be offering a two-week summer school that will bring together graduate students and young scientists, on the one hand, and specialists in Arctic climate and climate modeling, on the other hand, in order to convey to a new generation of scientists the opportunities and challenges of Arctic climate modeling. The summer school will take place from May 26-June 7, 2008, with one week spent in Fairbanks and the second week in Barrow.

Graduate students and young scientists in relevant fields are encouraged to apply for participation in the summer school. Advanced undergraduate students with strong qualifications will also be considered. Applications should be sent as early as possible, but no later than February 1.

2008 Toyota Earth Day Scholarship Program

The Toyota Earth Day Scholarship Program is once again offering 15 scholarships of $5000 each to high school students who are entering their first year of college or university. One exceptional student, chosen from the 15 regional scholarship winners, will also be presented with the Toyota Earth Day Scholarship National Award and a Panasonic notebook computer at the National Award Ceremony.

Because environmental science students are not the only people who want to make a difference for the environment, applications are encouraged from environmentally active students from all walks of life, regardless of their preferred program of study. Past scholarship recipients have entered various academic fields, including engineering, fine arts, medicine, and political science.

The deadline for applications is January 31, 2008.

Job opportunities at the Northern Climate ExChange

The Northern Climate ExChange is looking for a Dawson-based coordinator to develop a climate change adaptation plan. The local coordinator will be part of a project team consisting of a Whitehorse-based Project Manager and Director and a Dawson-based advisory team and research assistants. The application deadline is January 8, 2008.

We are also looking for a Project Manager for our Community-based Adaptation Planning project. This position will be based in Whitehorse and will include travelling to Yukon communities; developing and maintaining a communications strategy; directing casual staff; planning workshops; liaising with researchers, governments and other agencies; managing time-lines; and other related duties. The application deadline is January 15, 2008.

Call for Proposals – International Polar Year

A Call for Proposals for training, communications and outreach projects in conjunction with International Polar Year (IPY) 2007-2008 has been announced. This Call for Proposals is closing on January 15, 2008.

COP 13 – Bali, Indonesia

From December 3-15, representatives from around the world met in Bali to discuss future international efforts against climate change. The conference culminated in the adoption of the Bali roadmap, which charts the course for a new negotiating process to be concluded by 2009 that will ultimately lead to a post-2012 international agreement on climate change.

IPCC Synthesis Report

The Synthesis Report forms the final part of "Climate Change 2007", the IPCC Fourth Assessment Report. Earlier this year, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change released the other three reports: "The physical science basis" (February 2007); "Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability" (April 2007); "Mitigation of Climate Change" (May 2007).

The science related to climate change is vast and complex, and the IPCC has worked with scientists around the world to collect, assess and process the body of solid and up-to-date scientific literature. All this information is contained in the first three volumes of "Climate Change 2007". The Synthesis Report goes one step further: it is the decisive effort to integrate and compact this wealth of information into a readable and concise document explicitly targeted to the policymakers.

The First State of the Carbon Cycle Report

This report by the US Climate Change Science Program provides a synthesis, integration, and assessment of the current knowledge of the North American carbon budget and its context within the global carbon cycle. The report focuses on the carbon cycle as it influences the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.

Climate scepticism: The top 10

What are some of the reasons why "climate sceptics" dispute the evidence that human activities such as industrial emissions of greenhouse gases and deforestation are bringing potentially dangerous changes to the Earth's climate?

As the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) finalises its landmark report for 2007, the BBC looks at 10 of the arguments most often made against the IPCC consensus, and some of the counter-arguments made by scientists who agree with the IPCC.

Speech from the Throne

The full text of the Speech from the Throne is now available online. The section on the environment and climate change is near the bottom of the page. You can also watch a video of the Speech, listen to an audio version, or download a PDF copy.

Diary: Taking the Northwest Passage

BBC science and environment correspondent David Shukman has joined the Canadian Coast Guard research vessel, the Amundsen, as it attempts to make a crossing of the Northwest Passage. He'll be posting updates on the journey in his diary, and will be answering reader questions via e-mail.

APEC Declaration on Climate Change

The "Sydney APEC Leaders' Declaration on Climate Change, Energy Security and Clean Development" has been released and is available for download. The declaration covers future international action, support for a post-2012 international climate change arrangement, and the APEC Action Agenda.

NCE personnel changes

We'd like to bid farewell to Michael Westlake and Katharine Sandiford, who have both moved on to new opportunities and challenges. They worked tirelessly and did a great job during their time here at the NCE and we wish them the best of luck.

We'd also like to welcome Jen Turner to the fold. Jen is our new Coordinator and will oversee everything we do. She brings a wealth of environmental experience to the NCE, and we look forward to working with her. You can read more about Jen in our About us page.

Vienna Climate Change Talks 2007

A round of climate change talks under the auspices of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change concluded in Austria 31 August with agreement on key elements for an effective international response to climate change.

Changing Arctic: A diary from Greenland

Greenland is experiencing some rapid changes -- environmentally and economically. The BBC's Doreen Walton stayed in Greenland for a week, to hear what people think about the climate change debate; and to report on the scramble for territory and resources in the Arctic as the ice melts.

Many Strong Voices join forces on climate change

Driven by the need to protect the cultures and economies of countries and regions most affected by climate change, representatives of Arctic communities and Small Island Developing States (SIDS) from the Caribbean and Pacific have formed an alliance called Many Strong Voices to press for significant reductions in greenhouse gas emissions.

Friday is International Polar Day

During the 2007-2008 International Polar Year, a series of "International Polar Days" are being planned that focus on a particular aspect of polar research. These days will include press releases, background information, access to experts, links to images and video, educational and community activities, and connection to researchers in the field. The first of these will be held on Friday, September 21st and will focus on Sea Ice. Future Polar Days will focus on topics including Ice Sheets, Marine Biodiversity, and Human Health.

Al Gore's "7-Point Pledge"

In connection with the recent Live Earth concerts, Al Gore has announced a "7-Point Pledge" to rally support against global warming. The seven pledges are:

  1. To demand that my country join an international treaty within the next two years that cuts global warming pollution by 90 percent in developed countries and by more than half worldwide in time for the next generation to inherit a healthy earth;
  2. To take personal action to help solve the climate crises by reducing my own CO2 pollution as much as I can and offsetting the rest to become "carbon neutral";
  3. To fight for a moratorium on the construction of any new generating facility that burns coal without the capacity to safely trap and store the CO2;
  4. To work for a dramatic increase in the energy efficiency of my home, workplace, school, place of worship, and means of transportation;
  5. To fight for laws and policies that expand the use of renewable energy sources and reduce dependence on oil and coal;
  6. To plant new trees and to join with others in preserving and protecting forests; and,
  7. To buy from businesses and support leaders who share my commitment to solving the climate crises and building a sustainable, just and prosperous world for the 21st century.

The pledge can be signed online at www.liveearthpledge.org.

Text of G8 declaration on climate change

Here is the passage from the G8 declaration that discusses goals for cuts in greenhouse gas emissions, as published on the G8 website:

"We are therefore committed to taking strong and early action to tackle climate change in order to stabilise greenhouse gas concentrations at a level that would prevent dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system.

"Taking into account the scientific knowledge as represented in the recent IPCC reports, global greenhouse gas emissions must stop rising, followed by substantial global emission reductions.

"In setting a global goal for emissions reductions in the process we have agreed today involving all major emitters, we will consider seriously the decisions made by the European Union, Canada and Japan which include at least a halving of global emissions by 2050."

The 7 biggest myths about climate change

The May 16th issue of New Scientist magazine refutes the following 7 climate change myths and half-truths:

  1. Carbon dioxide levels only rose after the start of warm periods, so CO2 does not cause warming
  2. It has been warmer in the past, so what's the big deal?
  3. Human carbon dioxide emissions are tiny compared with natural sources
  4. It's too cold where I live. A bit of warming will be great
  5. It's all down to cosmic rays
  6. Antarctica is getting cooler and the ice sheets are getting thicker
  7. It was warmer during the Middle Ages than it is now, with vineyards in England

Yukon Wind Resource Map

Interested in wind energy? The Energy Solutions Centre's new Yukon Wind Resource Map shows the average wind speed at various locations around the territory.

New federal greenhouse gas plan

The federal government has drawn up a new plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, to replace the stillborn Clean Air Act. Under this new plan, most industrial emissions will have to be cut by 18% by 2010. However, this will still fall short of our commitments under the Kyoto Protocol.

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change 4th Assessment Report

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has released the latest volume of their 4th Assessment Report. This volume addresses "Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability": It provides a detailed analysis of observed changes in natural and human systems and the relationship between those observed changes and climate change, as well as a detailed assessment of projected future vulnerability, impacts, and response measures to adapt to climatic changes for main sectors and regions.

Research grant available for young Yukoners

The Rick and Maureen Nielsen Action Canada-Northern Youth Research Award is given out annually to youth candidates, 30 or under, living in a Yukon community. This $1,000 award will support community based research projects to build research capacity and engage northern youth in "research for the North, by the North." The deadline for applications is May 31, 2007.

Applications and information on the application process are available through the Yukon Foundation at www.yukonfoundation.com.

2007 Federal Budget

The Conservative government used its second budget to earmark $4.5 billion for environmental initiatives, including the previously announced $1.5 billion ecoTrust program for provincial energy and pollution-reducing projects.

Canadian IPY youth grant

The Canadian Space Agency is providing five $5000 grants to deserving Canadian high school students that have demonstrated a keen interest in climate change and space to go towards participating on the International Polar Year Arctic Youth Expedition August 2 to August 17, 2007 with Students on Ice. The application deadline is May 28, 2007.

International Polar Year 2007-2008

The International Polar Year is a large scientific programme focused on the Arctic and the Antarctic from March 2007 to March 2009.

IPY, organized through the International Council for Science and the World Meteorological Organization, is actually the fourth polar year, following those in 1882-1883, 1932-1933, and 1957-1958. In order to have full and equal coverage of both the Arctic and the Antarctic, IPY 2007-2008 covers two full annual cycles from March 2007 to March 2009 and will involve over 200 projects, with thousands of scientists from over 60 nations examining a wide range of physical, biological and social research topics. It is also an unprecedented opportunity to demonstrate, follow, and get involved with, cutting edge science in real-time.

Smithsonian Institution launches Arctic change website

Arctic: A Friend Acting Strangely, a new website from the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, puts a human face on warming in the Arctic by exploring changes that have been observed and documented by scientists and polar residents alike. Explore the Arctic's changing climate. Discover what these changes mean for the Arctic, its wildlife, its people -- and the rest of the planet.

Interactive Arctic mapping website launched

The Arctic Research Mapping APplication (ARMAP) is an interactive, online mapping application for scientific research in the Arctic. Users can navigate to areas of interest, view a variety of map layers, and explore research projects by location, year, funding program, investigator, discipline, IPY, keywords, and other variables. Project information is displayed within the mapping application, with links to websites for more information.

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change 4th Assessment Report

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has released a new report that says it's "very likely" that humans are to blame for climate change.

Citizens' Forum on Climate Change

The Yukon Liberal Caucus will be presenting a public forum on climate change. Author and climate change expert Guy Dauncey will be the keynote speaker. There will also be a panel discussion featuring the NCE's Michael Westlake, Jim Pojar of CPAWS Yukon, First Nation Elder Don Trudeau, Arctic Youth Network founder Jessica Thiessen, and J.P. Pinard of the Yukon Conservation Society.

The forum will take place Thursday, March 22nd at 7:00 pm at the Beringia Centre in Whitehorse, and admission is free. For more information, call (867) 667-8942.

Awards and scholarships for northern students

The Association of Canadian Universities for Northern Studies (ACUNS), through their Canadian Northern Studies Trust, is offering a variety of awards and scholarships to northern undergraduate and graduate students. The application deadline has just been extended to February 28th.

State of the Arctic Report

The US National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration has published the 2006 State of the Arctic Report. It presents a review of recent data by an international group of scientists who developed a consensus on the information content and reliability.

Stern Review on the economics of climate change

The most comprehensive review ever carried out on the economics of climate change was published October 30th. The Review has been carried out by Sir Nicholas Stern, Head of the UK Government Economic Service and former World Bank Chief Economist.

Federal government releases Clean Air Act

Environment Minister Rona Ambrose released the government's new Clean Air Act on October 19.

Environment Commissioner's report on climate change

The federal government has done too little and acted too slowly on Canada's commitments to address the challenge of climate change, says the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development, Johanne Gélinas, in her report tabled September 28th in the House of Commons.

Government of Yukon climate change strategy

The Yukon's long-awaited climate change strategy is available to the public at the following address:

First Story visits Old Crow

First Story on CTV will be airing a show about how Northern indigenous communities are being affected by climate change. The show was filmed in Old Crow, Yukon's most Northern and isolated community. Airing Saturday, November 18th at 2:30 p.m. PST on CTV.

COP 12 / MOP 2

COP 12 / MOP 2:

November 6-17, 2006
Nairobi, Kenya

For news updates from Nairobi watch our Kyoto InfoCentre.

2005-2006 NCE Annual Report now available

The 2005-2006 Annual Report, which details the NCE's projects and programs from April 1, 2005 to March 31, 2006, has been completed. You can download a PDF copy at our Knowledge Site.

Take part in a worldwide climate experiment

The BBC is inviting people to join the world's biggest online climate prediction project. Climateprediction.net has already been running for two years and has generated forecasts on the likely extent of climate change. Participants download software onto their personal computers which run the program when the machine is idle. Its newest, most sophisticated computer model is being launched on Tuesday in conjunction with BBC Four in the UK.

Avoiding Dangerous Climate Change

This report published by the British government says that global warming may have a greater impact than previously believed, and that reducing emissions below dangerous levels may be difficult.

Job opportunity at NCE

We're hiring a new coordinator to oversee the day-to-day operations of the Northern Climate ExChange. More information about this position is available in our Job opportunities page. The application deadline is September 27th.

Weathering Change, NCE's quarterly newsletter, is going electronic!

The NCE has experienced some funding shortfalls recently. This has left us trying to make decisions about programs we can modify in order to save money. To this end, we are revamping NCE's newsletter Weathering Change. To save GHG's, paper, and money, we are converting to an electronic format.

Our next issue is almost ready to send out. It's a digest of articles, thoughts and opinions from the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Montreal (CoP 11), featuring stories from Sheila Watt-Cloutier and Stéphane Dion among others.

If you would like to receive this issue and future issues of Weathering Change, in addition to our weekly news Updates, please e-mail us back so we can start sending you the electronic newsletter. Just click here -- Weathering Change subscription -- and tell us you want on.

If you already receive Weathering Change by mail, you don't need to contact us. We've already put your e-mail address on the new list.

Drift through the Arctic Ocean with Tara

Tara Arctic 2007-2008 is a French based project relying on a well-known polar schooner called "Tara". In this IPY project, the boat will undertake a two-year Nansen-like crossing of the Arctic Ocean, drifting from north of Siberia to Fram Straight. The boat will be trapped in the ice and will provide a secure ice station reachable by aircraft and ice breaker. The project will communicate information about global climate change by providing a platform for scientists, artists, journalists, and opinion leaders.

New report details environmental costs of oil sands development

The Pembina Institute has released a new report that investigates the impact of the boom in oil sands development on our forests, water, air, and Kyoto Protocol obligations. You can download Oil Sands Fever: The Environmental Implications of Canada's Oil Sands Rush in PDF format.

New report urges flexibility when negotiating climate treaties

Senior policymakers and stakeholders from around the world offer options and recommendations for engaging major economies in strengthened international climate change efforts in a report released November 15 by the Pew Center on Global Climate Change.

The report, International Climate Efforts Beyond 2012 - Report of the Climate Dialogue at Pocantico, describes several "elements" or policy approaches and ways they could be linked to one another under the 1992 Framework Convention on Climate Change. The elements include:

  • Emission targets and trading, with targets varying in form, stringency, and timing;
  • Agreements negotiated across the power, automotive, or other key sectors;
  • Policy-based approaches committing countries to steps advancing both climate and development objectives without binding them to fixed emission limits;
  • Stronger cooperation to develop long-term "breakthrough" technologies and to deploy existing and new technologies in developing countries; and
  • New assistance to help highly vulnerable countries cope with urgent adaptation needs and support the development of comprehensive national adaptation strategies.

Further information is available from the Pew Center on Global Climate Change.

Schools on Board 2006 Field Program

In the fall of 2006, Schools on Board will launch its 3rd Field Program from Iqaluit, where they will board the research icebreaker CCGS Amundsen and join the science teams of ArcticNet, as it journeys through Frobisher Bay, and across the Hudson Strait, to complete a science mission into the magnificent fjords of Northern Labrador.

Schools on Board invites schools to apply now for space, to send a student and/or teacher onboard this exciting field program. The successful individual(s) will represent their school and province, on a national 'team' consisting of 2 program leaders, 8 students and 2 teachers. As space is very limited, interested schools are encouraged to apply soon. The application deadline is June 20th.

Circumpolar Young Leaders Program

The Circumpolar Young Leaders Program is now accepting applications from Canadian youth originally from, or living in the Northwest Territories, Nunavut, Yukon, and northern Quebec and Labrador to undertake 6 month internships in other circumpolar countries. Deadline: May 30, 2006. Funding for the program is pending.

Calling youth artists!

"Images of Your World" is a call for photos, drawings and poems from Arctic Youth (north of 60) for the ookpik.org website. For more info and to see previous selections visit www.ookpik.org.

Saturday is Earth Day

This year more than six million Canadians of every faith and culture will be planting trees and native gardens, organizing community clean-ups, and taking part in environmental festivals and nature walks to celebrate the 37th anniversary of Earth Day. They will join over 500 million people in over 180 countries in a wide range of activities and events to mark International Earth Day -- the largest environmental event in the world.

The Yukon Conservation Society will be celebrating Earth Day wilth events in downtown Whitehorse from noon to 5 p.m. You can also contribute to their Community Earth Day Map/Collage.

Earth Day 2006 will launch a sustained, three-year campaign to educate consumers, corporations and governments worldwide on the urgent need to take concrete steps on climate change now -- before it's too late.

Tell the federal government where you'd like your tax dollars spent

For the first time, the Department of Finance is soliciting opinions from the public leading up to the 2006 federal budget. All Canadians are invited to submit their thoughts on what they would like to see in this and future budgets, as well as ideas they may have for making government more effective and efficient. The deadline for submissions is Wednesday, April 19th.

Funding available for Arctic system research

The U.S. National Science Foundation's Arctic System Science (ARCSS) Program is soliciting proposals for research that synthesizes our understanding of the Arctic system. The deadline for proposals is March 24, 2006.

Arctic expedition for K-12 teachers

Teachers -- here's your chance to learn about and engage in high-latitude Arctic climate change research and to gain a better understanding of how scientific research is done in practice. Take part in this expedition aboard the icebreaker Kapitan Dranitsyn, planned for August 15-September 25, 2006. Funding is available for participants. The application deadline is March 20.

Free climate change lecture

Global climate change is an enormous peril or an enormous opportunity, depending on how you look at it. California has pledged to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 80% by 2050. Sweden has pledged to end its dependency on fossil fuels by 2020. What should the Yukon do? What should you do?

Come to the Beringia Centre in Whitehorse on Thursday, March 16 to learn more about climate change. Admission is free and there will be tasty treats courtesy of Alpine Bakery. The featured speaker is Guy Dauncey, an author and sustainable communities consultant working to develop a positive vision of a sustainable future, and translating that vision into action. He is author of the award-winning book Stormy Weather: 101 Solutions to Global Climate Change, and president of the B.C. Sustainable Energy Association.

In addition, Remy Rodden will be there to sing his latest tune about climate change, and the NCE's Katharine Sandiford will be talking on the state of climate change in the Yukon. It all begins at 7 p.m.

International Polar Year funding now available

The Government of Canada has just issued a Call for Proposals for funding of International Polar Year science & research projects. Applications must be submitted and received by March 10, 2006.

A second Call for Proposals will be issued soon and will focus on training, communication and outreach activities for IPY.

Learn about sea ice at new website

On average, sea ice covers about 25 million square kilometers of the earth, or about two-and-a-half times the size of Canada. Although it may not directly impact us, it is a critical component of our planet because it affects climate, wildlife, and people who live in the Arctic. "All About Sea Ice" offers a glimpse of the characteristics and different forms of sea ice, why it is so important to our environment, and popular scientific methods for studying it. Check out the website at nsidc.org/seaice.

Save fuel and energy this fall and winter

The nights are getting longer and chillier, and the price of oil keeps creeping upwards. But there are plenty of things you can do to reduce energy use and save money.

Climate change course offering

Yukon College is offering a winter semester course entitled "Climate Change and the Circumpolar World." The course starts January 16 and runs for 13 weeks. Cost: $150. Instructor: Aynslie Ogden. For further information or to register, please call (867) 668-8865.

Declaration on Climate Change from Youth of the Arctic

The Arctic Youth Network, an organization made up of youth from around the circumpolar North, have written the "Declaration on Climate Change from Youth of the Arctic" and presented the document to the United Nations at upcoming COP 11 / MOP 1 conference in Montréal. Please read and sign the declaration at www.taiga.net/ayn/declaration.html.

David Suzuki Foundation slams provincial climate change plans

In a new report, the David Suzuki Foundation compares actions being taken by the provinces and territories to combat climate change, and finds that little or nothing is being done. They criticize the Yukon and Nunavut for having no territorial climate change plans at all, while the NWT's plan is deemed ineffective and in need of updating.

Living with Climate Change: Sharing Adaptation Experiences

Attending COP 11 in Montréal? You're invited to attend this parallel event sponsored by C-CIARN and Natural Resources Canada. It will be held on December 2 and will run all day. More information on topics and speakers is available at C-CIARN.

Calling all youth! Participate in COP 11

  1. Environnement Jeunesse is looking for 10,000 kids drawings to hand to the 10,000 Conference delegates at the COP 11 meetings in Montréal. For further information, please contact Environnement Jeunesse.
  2. Chat it up with local kids! The Council of Yukon First Nations is currently looking for someone to man a booth at COP 11 in Montréal and give some interactive presentations to school classes touring throught the site. They are looking for someone aged 14-19 for the first week of the conference (Nov. 28). Preference will be given to indigenous and bilingual youth. For further information, please contact Bob Van Dijken at CYFN.
  3. The Youth Environmental Network is seeking applications for Youth Representatives on the Official Canadian Delegation to the UN Conference on Climate from the 28th of November to the 9th of December. For further information, please contact the Yukon Environmental Network.

Public talk: What's the deal with climate change?

Come to a free public talk in Whitehorse, hosted by the Northern Climate ExChange. Find out about how climate change is affecting the North, what you can do, how communities are adapting, and what the Yukon and Canadian governments are doing to address this global issue. There will be an open question and answer period.

Where: Hellaby Hall, corner of Fourth Ave. and Elliott St.
When: Monday, Nov. 14 at 7 p.m.

Refreshments and snacks provided. For further information, please call (867) 668-8862 or e-mail Michael Westlake.

Young filmmakers, grab your cameras!

Nature Québec and the Coalition Québec-vert-Kyoto have launched an international short film competition on climate change called Caméra Verte. Professional or amateur filmmakers can submit films on the theme of climate change that are between 30 seconds and 5 minutes in length. The submission deadline is November 14th, 2005. For further information, please go to www.cameraverte.org.

Waller-Hunter passes away

Joke Waller-Hunter, Executive Secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, passed away on October 14th at the age of 58. She had led the UNFCCC since May of 2002 and oversaw the entry into force of the Kyoto Protocol.

NSERC Request for Proposals to Support International Polar Year 2007-08

International Polar Year (IPY) 2007-08 will be a major, international scientific event featuring a global campaign of coordinated polar observations and analysis, focusing on both the North and South poles. IPY 2007-08 will provide an opportunity to deepen our knowledge of the polar environment and systems that are so important to Canada. It will build on experience gathered during the International Polar Years of 1887 and 1907 and the International Geophysical Year of 1957 which also focused strongly on the polar regions. During IPY 2007-08, more than $1 billion will be spent on multidisciplinary science related to the North and South poles.

To support IPY 2007-08, NSERC is launching a Request for Proposals (RFP) for IPY projects through the Special Research Opportunity program (www.nserc.gc.ca/professors_e.asp?nav=profnav&lbi=a4_polar). NSERC will dedicate up to $6M over three years for this special initiative, helping academic researchers in the natural sciences and engineering to participate in national and international projects focused on the poles. The deadline for submissions is November 7, 2005.

Federal government announces International Polar Year funding

The International Polar Year (IPY) 2007-2008 will be a two year program of science, research & education focused on the Arctic and Antarctic regions. Canadian and international researchers from universities, northern communities, and governments will be working to advance our understanding of cultural, social, economic and health dimensions, as well as geophysical, climatological and biological processes in polar regions.

New funding in the amount of $150 million will be provided by the Government of Canada between 2006/07 and 2011/12 to enable Canada to carry out an innovative, interdisciplinary program for International Polar Year.

2004-05 NCE Annual Report

We've recently released the 2004-2005 Northern Climate ExChange Annual Report, which gives details of the projects we're involved with and work we've been doing over the past year. You can download a PDF copy of the annual report at our Knowledge Site.

Offset System for Greenhouse Gases -- Overview Paper

These papers provide a basis for consultations on the design of the offset system as proposed in the 2005 Climate Change Plan, "Moving Forward on Climate Change". Written submissions are welcome until September 30, 2005. You can read the papers at www.climatechange.gc.ca/english/publications/offset_gg.

Snowchange 2005

A draft program has been released for the Snowchange 2005 conference, to be held September 28th-30th in Anchorage. The program has not been finalized, so expect changes to occur. To view the program, and to learn more about the Snowchange project and the 2005 conference, go to www.snowchange.org/snowchange/content/view/38/2.

Thanks, Bob! Welcome, Katharine!

Longtime staff member Bob van Dijken has left the NCE as of September 1, and we'd like to thank him for all the hard work he's put in. We'd also like to welcome Katharine Sandiford to the team. She'll be taking over as communications officer and will be responsible for our public education and outreach programs. You can learn more about Katharine, and the rest of the staff, at our About us page.

Climate change teacher's kit

The Government of Canada has prepared a teacher's kit to provide teachers with information on existing materials that can help to introduce the concept of climate change into the classroom, and to provide ideas to help students make learning about climate change relevant to their daily activities.

Climate change fits in all subject areas! Whether it's through science, social studies or geography, students can learn and take action on climate change.

You can order your teacher's kit at www.climatechange.gc.ca/english/teachers/kit.asp

Notice of Intent to Regulate Greenhouse Gas Emissions by Large Final Emitters

The Notice of Intent to Regulate Greenhouse Gas Emissions by Large Final Emitters outlines how the federal government plans to implement its climate change policy with respect to greenhouse gas emission reductions by Large Final Emitters. Any person may, prior to September 14th, file with the Minister of the Environment comments with respect to this proposal.

Details of the proposal can be found starting on page 2489 of the Canada Gazette, Vol. 139, No. 29, which can be downloaded in PDF form at canadagazette.gc.ca/partI/2005/20050716/pdf/g1-13929.pdf.

Follow the Beaufort Gyre Expedition

Scientists from the United States, Canada, and Japan studying arctic climate change set out August 1st for a month-long expedition to the Beaufort Sea aboard the Canadian icebreaker Louis S. St-Laurent. They are using an array of newly-developed instruments to measure the environment above, below, and within the floating icepack.

Join the research team on the ice and aboard the icebreaker through the expedition website. The site features project and instrument descriptions, a history of the exploration of the Beaufort Gyre, and dispatches and photos updated from the field.

To follow the expedition, go to www.whoi.edu/beaufortgyre

Commuter Challenge 2005 -- Congratulations, Whitehorse!

The 2005 Commuter Challenge results are now official -- Whitehorse has placed 1st in its population category of 10,000 to 49,000! More details are available at our One-Tonne Challenge site, and at the national Commuter Challenge site.

Breaking that dirty oil habit

If you ever needed confirmation of the old adage "politics makes strange bedfellows", look no further than the United States. Environmentalists concerned with global warming and conservatives looking to reduce their country's dependence on foreign petroleum may seem to have little in common. But in the end they have a common goal -- to burn less oil. The latest issue of Time Magazine looks at this unlikely alliance.

New edition of NCE newsletter available

The Winter/Spring 2005 edition of Weathering Change has just rolled off the presses. This issue looks at climate change and wildlife, and features articles by an outstanding group of knowledgeable authors. You can download a PDF copy for yourself at our Knowledge Site.

Arctic Climate Impact Assessment downloads

Prior to publication of the scientific report, several individual science chapters of the Arctic Climate Impact Assessment are now available as pre-releases on the ACIA website: www.acia.uaf.edu.

The published chapters may differ slightly in presentation style and pagination from the pre-released chapters, but not in technical content.

The publication date for the ACIA scientific report is estimated to be July 2005. The following chapters are currently available online:

  • Chapter 1: Introduction to the ACIA
  • Chapter 2: Arctic Climate - Past and Present
  • Chapter 2 Commentary: Arctic Temperature Change
  • Chapter 3: Changing Arctic: Indigenous Perspectives
  • Chapter 4: Future Climate Change: Modeling and Scenarios
  • Chapter 5: Ozone and Ultraviolet Radiation
  • Chapter 6: Cryosphere and Hydrology
  • Chapter 10: Principles of Conserving the Arctic's Biodiversity
  • Chapter 11: Management and Conservation of Wildlife in a Changing Arctic Environment
  • Chapter 12: Hunting, Herding, Fishing and Gathering: Indigenous Peoples and Renewable Resource Use in the Arctic
  • Chapter 15: Human Health
  • Chapter 16: Infrastructure: Buildings, Support Systems, and Industrial Facilities

Deadline extended -- Energy Globe Competition 2005

Until July 15, 2005 you can take part in the Energy Globe Competition 2005! Take a chance and win the world's most prestigious environmental award! Any project and initiative can participate, which contributes to sustaining the world's resources -- earth (general), energy, water and air by employing them efficiently and carefully, thereby helping to keep our ecosystem intact. Projects which contribute to strengthen environmental awareness are equally welcome.

For more information and to download the application form please see www.energyglobe.info.

Plans changed for G8 "climate alarm" in Ottawa

Friends of the Earth International had planned to sound warning bells at locations around the world including Ottawa (at the eternal flame in front of Parliament Hill) at 13:45, July 7, 2005. The bell ringing was to alert G8 leaders to the fact that time is running out to tackle climate injustice. The time of 13:45 is symbolic because the G8 nations represent just 13% of the world's people, but account for 45% of the world's emissions of climate-changing pollutants.

Friends of the Earth will instead issue a statement of condolence to those injured and families of victims of the explosions in London, England today.

Friends of the Earth calls on Canadians to observe two minutes of silence today at 13:45. A silent vigil will be held at the eternal flame and bells will toll for two minutes on Parliament Hill and at St. Patrick's Basilica (originally planned).

"Friends of the Earth denounces those who choose the path of violence -- acts like today's explosions in London are senseless and cowardly," says Beatrice Olivastri, Chief Executive Officer, Friends of the Earth Canada. "We send our condolences to the families of the victims and wishes for recovery to those injured in today's explosions. We urge G8 leaders to focus even more urgently on peaceful ways and means to heal the planet and her people from the twin scourges of poverty and pollution."

For more information contact Beatrice Olivastri at (613) 241-0085 ext. 26 or (613) 724-8690 (cellular).

Commuter Challenge Week events

  • June 7: Arrive at the Midnight Sun and the Alpine Bakery via sustainable transportation and receive 1 free coffee (Midnight Sun) and 1 free cookie (Alpine Bakery).
  • June 8: City's free Clean Air Day Pancake Breakfast from 7 to 9 a.m. at City Hall.
  • June 8: Free transit -- Ride the city bus for free all day long!!
  • June 8: Free bike maintenance workshop with Philippe at 4th and Hawkins from noon to 1 p.m.
  • June 10: Enviro Fair at Rotary Peace Park all day with music over the lunch hour. Fun and draw prizes to be had. (See below)

For more information see the Recreation and Parks Association of the Yukon (RPAY) website at: www.rpay.org

Yukon Enviro-Fair 2005

Come celebrate Environment Week on Friday, June 10th, as Rotary Park hosts Yukon Enviro-Fair 2005. There'll be interactive displays, musical entertainment, prizes, and more! For more information you can download the fair poster, or call the Yukon Environmental Network at 668-2482.

2005 Commuter Challenge

Every year, people all across Canada participate in the Commuter Challenge. Yukon residents cycle, walk or take public transit rather than drive their vehicles. Make a plan to participate this year from June 5th until June 11th, then continue to use these commuter options as part of your everyday life. Information on the Commuter Challenge can be found at www.commuterchallenge.net.

Welcome, Michael!

We'd like to welcome Michael Westlake to the NCE team, who'll be taking care of C-CIARN North. You can learn more about Michael at our About us page.

Emissions clinic cancelled

We said we'd provide further details on the annual vehicle emissions clinic, so here you go: it's been cancelled. Sorry.

Job opportunity at NCE

We're looking for a communications officer to look after our public education and outreach activities. It's a term position to March 31, 2006, and the application deadline is June 6. If you've got the right qualifications and would like to join our team, feel free to submit a resume. You can learn more about the position at Yukon College's human resources site.

Commuter Challenge warm-up

On Thursday, June 2nd meet us at 5 p.m. in front of the Elijah Smith building where we'll take off on our bikes and tour some of the City's new bike paths, finishing off at the High Country Inn where all riders will receive a 2 for 1 drink ticket. We'll bike to Puckett's Gulch, haul our bikes up the stairs, ride the airport trail to the top of 2 Mile Hill, take the new path (yay!! -- we're crossing our fingers for pavement) down to 4th and straight into the High Country for drinks! First 20 riders to show at Elijah Smith get "one more bike" stickers. (Coordinated by the Recreation and Parks Association of the Yukon)

York University professors call for a modern 'renaissance' to meet climate change challenge

On the day that Federal Environment Minister Stéphane Dion addresses a gathering of faculty, students and guests at York University on the subject of Canada's climate change plan, a group of York professors have issued a call for a modern 'renaissance' focused on environmental protection and social justice if climate change targets are to have any chance of being met -- here in Canada or indeed more globally. You can get all the details at www.iris.yorku.ca/Home/IRISCommentary.

Action on Climate Change: Take Two

In Youth in Media's first project, 20 under-privileged youth spent 10 days at a remote island film school making public service announcements (PSAs) on one of the planet's most pressing environmental issues: climate change. Professional media specialists and climate change educators helped the students create 30 second films exploring the primary causes and effects of greenhouse gas emissions.

Action on Climate Change: Take Two brought together a second group of 20 film students from across Canada. For this project the youth were selected through scriptwriting and participant contests which specifically targeted students in film and environmental studies. Again their challenge was to produce broadcast quality PSAs to motivate Canadians to reduce their personal annual greenhouse gas emissions by one tonne. In ten days the students had completed 11 PSAs, six of which will be broadcast in 2005.

You can find out more and check out the PSAs at www.youthinmedia.com.

Register soon for Canadian Youth Climate Change Conference

The Canadian Youth Climate Change Conference (YC3) will take place this summer in Victoria. Here's your chance to meet new friends from across Canada and around the world. Share stories, visions, and plans with fellow youth and speakers alike. Join a small, vibrant community, where some of the greatest thinkers and activists in the world are coming to share ideas and build plans for a better future -- with you! But don't delay: the registration deadline is May 31. You can learn all about YC3 at www.yc3.net.

Impacts of Modeled Recommendations of the National Commission on Energy Policy

In December 2004 the National Commission on Energy Policy (NCEP), a nongovernmental privately funded entity, released a report entitled Ending the Energy Stalemate: A Bipartisan Strategy to Meet America's Energy Challenges. This follow-up report by the Energy Information Administration analyses the impacts of the NCEP recommendations. You can download your own copy at http://www.eia.doe.gov/oiaf/servicerpt/bingaman/pdf/sroiaf%282005%2902.pdf.

Government of Canada announces Kyoto plan

The Government of Canada launched the first phase of Project Green on Wednesday by releasing an updated plan for a healthy environment and a competitive economy.

Wash your clothes in cold water -- save money, reduce emissions

Here's an easy way to work toward your One-Tonne Challenge goal -- switch to cold water for washing clothes. Plus, you'll save money on your energy bill. Don't worry -- there are cold water detergents on the market now that do an excellent job. You can learn more at http://www.switchtocold.com/.

Slaying the 'energy vampire'

The appliances and electronics in our homes consume a great deal of energy. New energy-efficiency standards could significantly reduce not only your power bill, but also the amount of greenhouse gases emitted by energy producers. To see what's being proposed, click here.

Budget 2005

The 2005 Budget has been approved by the House of Commons. The Government is calling it a "green" budget, with plenty of spending on energy efficiency and environmental friendliness.

Job opening at C-CIARN North

Unfortunately for us, Claire Eamer, our amazing C-CIARN North Yukon coordinator is leaving us to pursue her dream of writing a novel. Claire has developed a wonderful program over the past three years and hers will be difficult shoes to fill. However, we're sure some of you out there are looking for a challenge.

The position has now been posted by Yukon College. Please pass this information to anyone who might be interested in applying. The closing date for applications is March 11.

Top ten Canadian weather stories for 2004

Every year Environment Canada compiles a list of the top ten weather stories. In 2004 this list included flash floods, weather bombs, record snowfalls and killer frost. To see the complete list, click here.

Countdown to Kyoto: The Yukon Takes Action

  • Monday Feb. 14 through Friday Feb. 18 -- Displays
    All week long displays related to climate change, energy efficiency and active living will be set up in the lobby of the Elijah Smith Building in downtown Whitehorse. Displays include: One-Tonne Challenge, Arctic Climate Impact Assessment, Arctic Athabaskan Council, Energy Solutions Centre, Yukon Housing, City of Whitehorse, Environment Canada, Yukon Geological Survey, Department of Fisheries and Oceans, Yukon Government, Recreation & Parks Association of the Yukon, Yukon Conservation Society, Raven Recycling, Anti Idle Program...
  • Wednesday Feb. 16 -- Celebration and Media Launch (Co-sponsored by the City of Whitehorse)
    Noon-hour celebration in the Elijah Smith building foyer to mark Kyoto's coming into force. Food, music, speeches and displays. Launch events by City of Whitehorse for its One-Tonne Challenge Community Challenge. Speeches by Member of Parliament Larry Bagnell, Yukon Energy, Mines & Resources Minister Archie Lang, Grand Chief Ed Schultz, Mayor Ernie Bourassa.
  • Thursday Feb. 17 -- ACIA Briefing / IPY Workshop
    Meeting to link the outcomes of the Arctic Climate Impact Assessment with upcoming proposals for the International Polar Year. Half-day event hosted at Yukon College (Room 1440, noon until 4:30 pm). Public outreach presentations followed by discussions, breakout groups and planning. Lunch provided.
  • Friday Feb. 18 -- Communities and Climate Change
    Half-day workshop connecting Yukon communities. Hosted through Yukon College (Room 1440, 1 pm until 5 pm). Distributed Learning video conferencing system. Background information prepackaged. Presentation on ACIA findings. Invited presentations from select community programs. Round table from all communities. For more information on this workshop, go to http://dl1.yukoncollege.yk.ca/ccc/.
  • Saturday Feb. 19 -- Climate Change Fair (Co-sponsored by the City of Whitehorse)
    Day-long family event at the Takhini Arena (10 am until 4 pm). Interactive displays, contests, prizes, movie house and concession. Free skate from 1:30 until 2:45 courtesy of the City of Whitehorse.
  • Sunday Feb. 20 -- Keynote Speaker
    Bob McDonald of CBC's Quirks & Quarks will give a presentation on: "Climate Change -- Where Are We and Where Do We Go From Here?" With introduction from Ian Church, Senior Science Advisor, Yukon Government. Yukon Inn, 4 pm to 6 pm.

Also, watch for a new edition of the NCE newsletter Weathering Change. We'll also be presenting a noon-hour brown bag video series at Yukon College (Arctic Mission Series / ACIA video / One-Tonne Challenge videos).

For more information, contact us. And to see what other communities around the world are doing to welcome Kyoto, click here.

The Northern Strategy

The Government of Canada and the three territorial governments are developing -- in cooperation with Aboriginal governments, organizations, and Northern residents -- the first-ever comprehensive strategy for the North. It will be a document to help guide all four governments in achieving real, positive change for Northerners today and in the future. For more, click here.

U.S. report proposes new energy strategy

The National Commission on Energy Policy has released a report titled, "Ending the Energy Stalemate: A Bipartisan Strategy to Meet America's Energy Challenges." It contains detailed policy recommendations for addressing oil security, climate change, natural gas supply, the future of nuclear energy, and other long-term challenges. To check it out, click here.

C-CIARN North Online Workshop #4

The effects of global climate change are increasingly apparent in the North. How can we accommodate those and future effects when assessing the impacts of development projects? What tools are available to help us? Can we help each other? Please join us online during the week of January 24 to 28, 2005, to discuss issues related to climate change and environmental assessment. To get more info, click here.

Power companies fail to respond to global warming crisis as window of opportunity closes

A new report by WWF shows that the power sector, the biggest single contributor to climate change, is failing to act responsibly in the face of the greatest threat confronting the world in the 21st century.

The report Ranking Power reveals the companies' overall failure to significantly invest in renewable and efficient energy in order to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. Almost two-thirds of power companies received a ranking of less than 1 out of 10 for their response to global warming, and more than 90 per cent rank less than 3.

For more info, and to download the full report, click here.

So, how do hybrid vehicles perform?

A new report on the performance of 100 hybrid electric vehicles has documented substantially lower fuel costs and reductions in air pollution, with some owners reporting up to 60 percent savings when using hybrids compared to the vehicles they replaced. For more on The Hybrid Experience, click here.

Annan receives Kyoto ratification from Russia, protocol to take effect February 16

Russia delivered their ratification of the Kyoto Protocol to the Secretary General of the UN today. Now that the accord has been ratified by 55 countries that produce 55% of the world's greenhouse gas emissions, a 90-day countdown begins to the official implementation date of February 16, 2005.

Globe and Mail -- climate change supplement

Be sure to check out Friday's Globe and Mail; they are publishing a special supplement on climate change coinciding with the conclusion of COP 10 in Buenos Aires.

COP 10 is underway

The COP 10 climate change conference takes place from December 6-17 in Buenos Aires. You can stay up-to-date on what's happening at the conference at our COP 10 special coverage page.

Now available: Arctic Climate Impact Assessment

The report Impacts of a Warming Arctic: Arctic Climate Impact Assessment has now been released. The report, an unprecedented four-year scientific study, was conducted by an international team of 300 scientists and details the effects of climate change on the circumpolar Arctic.

The report was prepared under the auspices of the Arctic Council, whose members are Canada, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, the Russian Federation, Sweden, and the United States of America. Arctic indigenous organizations are also included in the Arctic Council as permanent participants. These permanent participants are the Aleut International Association, the Arctic Athabaskan Council, the Gwich'in Council International, the Inuit Circumpolar Conference, the Saami Council and the Russian Association of Indigenous Peoples of the North.

The goal of the Arctic Climate Impact Assessment is to evaluate and synthesize knowledge on climate variability, climate change, and increased ultraviolet radiation and their consequences. The aim is to provide useful and reliable information to the governments, organizations and peoples of the Arctic on policy options to meet such changes.

Copies of the report can viewed online at http://www.amap.no/acia/

The End of Suburbia -- second screening

Join the Yukon Conservation Society for the second local screening of the new documentary film, The End of Suburbia: Oil Depletion and the Collapse of the American Dream. The screening takes place at the Whitehorse Public Library on Tuesday, December 14th, at 7:00 p.m.

The Yukon Conservation Society wishes to extend its apologies to all those who could not be accommodated at the first screening of The End of Suburbia. This second screening has been scheduled in a larger room. Admission is free, and there will be a discussion to follow the film.

For more information, check out www.yukonconservation.org or www.postcarbon.org.

Learn all about strawbale construction and energy efficient design

A presentation of this 100 year old construction technique, coupled with energy efficient integrated mechanical design, by strawbale builder and designer Cory Gordon, will take place at the Whitehorse Public Library on Thursday, December 9th from 7 to 9 p.m. This talk will look at the potential for strawbale construction for cold climates and will feature the 6000 square foot community-based Craik Ecocentre, as well as other projects that will include:

  • passive solar design and heat sinks
  • masonry wood heaters
  • below ground ventilation systems
  • in-house potable water filtration and composting toilets
  • retrofits of existing buildings
  • integration of solar hot water/in-floor heating and ground source heat pumps

For more information, visit www.craikecovillage.ca. This presentation is sponsored by the Yukon Conservation Society and Bean North Coffee Roastings.

Bringing Climate Change into the Classroom -- Resources for Teachers

The Government of Canada has just produced lesson plans that can be used with the Natural Resources Canada Climate Change poster series. Full details are available at www.climatechange.gc.ca/english/teachers.

For the Yukon and NWT, lesson plans for the Taking the Chill Off: Climate Change in the Yukon and Northwest Territories poster have been prepared. For Nunavut, lesson plans have been prepared for the Degrees of Variation: Climate Change in Nunavut poster. Copies of all seven regional posters (Nunavut, Atlantic Canada, Quebec, Ontario, British Columbia, Prairie Provinces, Yukon/NWT) can be ordered through the above website.

The Northern Climate ExChange has copies of the Taking the Chill Off: Climate Change in the Yukon and Northwest Territories poster available for interested teachers and classes. To get a copy of the Yukon/NWT poster, contact Bob Van Dijken, public education and outreach coordinator of the Northern Climate ExChange at (867) 668-8874.

Auntie Idle gets underway today!

The NCE's Auntie Idle campaign is all set to go! We invite you to join us for the official program launch, which will take place from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm on December 1st, in the Heritage Room at Whitehorse City Hall. Come and learn about the benefits of reducing vehicle idling, and tuck into some appetizers as well!

Northern Science Award

Nomination deadline: November 30th

The Northern Science Award is presented annually by the Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development to an individual or a group of indigenous people who have made a significant contribution to meritorious knowledge and understanding of the Canadian North over a period of several years.

For the purposes of this award "Science" refers to all fields of inquiry including those based upon indigenous knowledge, that advance our understanding of the natural world and society. Northern is defined as a zone of high latitude in Northern Canada, north of the southern limit of discontinuous permafrost where, because of the natural environment, people experience distinctive living conditions.

If you would like further information on the Northern Science Award, you may visit www.ainc-inac.gc.ca/nstp/awd_e.html or contact Sheilagh Murphy, Director, Strategic Management and Economic Analysis.

Carbon Down, Profits Up

A new report, released recently by The Climate Group, shows that public and private sector organisations have managed to achieve significant reductions of greenhouse gases and increaseprofits as a result. The report, "Carbon Down, Profits Up",can be downloaded by clicking here.

The Climate Change Show

Science North's "Climate Change Show" is now viewable online. Part of the One-Tonne Challenge, it will help people more easily understand the complex issue of climate change. You'll need to have QuickTime on your computer to view it. To do so, click here.

Environment Minister's response to the Speech from the Throne

The speech by Environment Minister Stéphane Dion in response to the Speech from the Throne can be viewed by clicking here.

2004 Winter Living Show

The Northern Climate ExChange will be participating in the 2004 Winter Living Show. Our display will feature information on the One-Tonne Challenge, including practical tips on how you can reduce your fuel bills and greenhouse gas emissions. Auntie Idle will also be in attendance, providing information on idling.

Drop by our display at booth 103. The Winter Living Show is being held in Whitehorse at the new Yukon Convention Centre (the old Lions Pool building beside the High Country Inn) on Saturday, October 30th and Sunday, October 31st between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.

Youth Round Table on the Environment

The call for applications to the 2004-2005 Youth Round Table on the Environment (YRTE) is now open! The YRTE is an active and non-partisan forum of up to 18 youth that brings together young Canadians of diverse regional, cultural, educational, and linguistic backgrounds. The YRTE is open to people between the ages of 14 and 26. If you're interested, the application deadline is October 26. To learn more, click here.

International Polar Year 2007-2008 -- Yukon planning session

Dr. David Hik, Director of the Canadian International Polar Year Secretariat, will be in Whitehorse to provide an update on Canada's participation in the upcoming International Polar Year (2007-08) and the establishment of the National IPY Secretariat at the University of Alberta. This is an open session for anyone interested or involved in science/applied science in the North and the opportunities and current stages of planning for Canada. Yukon College is hosting this public session and everyone is welcome to attend. The session takes place October 19th at 3:00 pm in the Yukon College cafeteria. Additional information about IPY is available at www.ipy-api.ca or www.ipy.org.

Speech from the Throne and the Prime Minister's Reply

Climate change and the northern environment were mentioned in both the Speech from the Throne and the Prime Minister's Reply. For a capsule report, click here.

Planet Under Pressure

Planet Under Pressure is a six-part BBC News Online series looking at some of the most pressing environmental issues facing the human race today. To take a look at part 1, click here.

National Family Week and International Walk to School Day

October 4-10th is National Family Week, and the theme is "Healthy Families: Active Together!" In celebration of this, Walking Wednesday will take place in Whitehorse on October 6th. Meet at the White Pass train station at 1st and Main St. at 12:10 p.m. The walk will proceed south along the river to the pullout parking area near Robert Service Campground and back again. This usually takes about 45 minutes. All speeds and abilities are welcome, some folks turn back early depending on their schedules.

October 6th is also International Walk to School Day, and most Yukon schools are already registered for this event. Why not come out and celebrate with a noon hour walk!

For more information on National Family Week visit the website www.familyservicecanada.org, or call the Yukon Family Services Association for a schedule of events in the Whitehorse area at (867) 667-2970. For more information on International Walk to School Day in the Yukon, contact the Recreation and Parks Association of the Yukon at (867) 668-2328, or check the website www.goforgreen.ca.

One-Tonne Challenge -- Youth Environmental Network micro-grants

The Youth Environmental Network is now accepting funding proposals for One-Tonne Challenge micro-grants. Micro-grant funded projects should start in early fall 2004 and must be completed by March 20, 2005. For more details, click here.

One-Tonne Challenge -- Youth in Action Call for Proposals

The youth component of the One-Tonne Challenge seeks to support youth that take steps to engage others, including their peers, community leaders and younger youth, to protect the climate and air quality. The Youth in Action call for proposals is looking for innovative projects that encourage specific behaviours that reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Your proposal should be posted or sent via email no later than October 25, 2004. Projects must be completed no later than March 31, 2006. For more details, click here.

Climate Change Impacts and Adaptation: A Canadian Perspective

This report, prepared by the Climate Change Impacts and Adaptation Directorate of Natural Resources Canada, provides an overview of key climate change concerns within several major Canadian sectors, based on studies published over the past five years. You can read the entire report online, download a PDF copy, or order a paper version. To do so, click here.

International Car Free Day

Wednesday, September 22nd is International Car Free Day, an annual event celebrated by 100 million people on every continent and supported by the European Union, the United Nations, the Government of Canada and the leaders of 1500 cities around the world.

Car Free Day street events and forums highlight the many problems caused by our dependence on the private automobile, including air pollution, global warming, stress, and safety issues. It emphasizes the rights of pedestrians and cyclists, the need for more and better public transit, and helps people rediscover their local community, outside the confines of their vehicle.

For more information:

Good luck Aynslie, welcome John!

NCE Coordinator Aynslie Ogden has take a one-year leave of absence to pursue PhD studies at the University of British Columbia. While she's away the NCE will be in the capable hands of John Streicker. We'd like to welcome John aboard, and wish Aynslie all the best in the world of academia!

NPR presents "Bad Press on Global Warming"

You could call it the most important environmental story that is not getting told: heat waves in India and Pakistan; a record number of tornadoes in the U.S.; forest fires in Portugal; and other global weather patterns all associated with climate change.

It is a story that is largely not getting told by the American media, says Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter Ross Gelbspan. In newsrooms across the country, he says, there has been an unfair bias toward balance on the climate change story. But, Gelbspan says, journalists can still get the story right, and Americans can start paying attention before it's too late.

This radio program originally aired on National Public Radio's "On Point", and has been archived online. To listen, click here.

CitizenScience.ca gets a facelift

Wildlife Habitat Canada is pleased to unveil the new look of the CitizenScience.ca website featuring tools and resources for community-based monitoring practitioners. A key element of the site is the on-line searchable directory of over 250 citizen science initiatives from across Canada linked to a mapping application. You can search the directory, developed in partnership with the Ecological Monitoring & Assessment Network Coordinating Office, by location, topic, text or name of the initiative. View it today and register your initiative at www.citizenscience.ca.

Let them know about your citizen science resources and tools so that they can share these with the monitoring community across Canada and advance the field of citizen science. Also, check out the Canadian Community Monitoring Network website for a nationally tested model for community-based monitoring, critical success factors, and related resources, at www.ccmn.ca.

More EMAN protocols available online

The Ecosystem Monitoring Protocols are a suite of protocols that, when implemented together, enable the integrated detection of ecosystem changes. Additional EMAN Ecosystem Monitoring protocols have been translated and made accessible at: www.eman-rese.ca/eman/ecotools/protocols. These protocols monitor Plant Phenology, Worm Species Richness, Anuran Species Richness and Calling Phenology, Annual Decay Rates, Tree Health, and Soil Temperature.

The EMAN Coordinating Office is updating their list of partner publications. EMAN CO intends to use this list to better communicate your monitoring science to their partners and affiliates through their website and other avenues. Please send a list of your peer reviewed and non-peer reviewed publications from 1998 to the present to Ashok Lumb.

BBC News -- Climate change in depth

The BBC has put together a handy reference page covering climate change. Topics covered include the science behind climate change, future scenarios, and the Kyoto protocol. To check it out, click here.

Youth in Media program

Do you know someone between the ages of 16-25 who is concerned about climate change? Are they an enthusiastic, creative individual with great ideas on how to stop climate change? If so, here's their golden opportunity. 20 scholarships and 12 cash prizes are available for young filmmakers and script writers who have an active interest in the topic of climate change. For more info, click here.

Adventurers propel themselves from Vancouver to Moscow

Two Canadians and one Russian are in the midst of a journey that will cover 18,000 kilometres from Vancouver to Moscow, powered only by their muscles. Their goal is to promote awareness of climate change and raise funds for the David Suzuki Foundation. For updates on their emissions-free adventure, click here.

The Day After Tomorrow: science fiction or scientific fact?

The new movie The Day After Tomorrow has made global warming a hot topic. It has also generated considerable controversy -- just how realistic are the events portrayed in the film? The Energy Future Coalition has created a website that looks at abrupt climate change and examines the plausibility of the film's climatic catastrophe. To have a look, click here.

David Suzuki Foundation releases new paper

Planning for the Next Generation: Ten Principles for Climate Protection and Innovation explores the challenges and opportunities with Canada's Kyoto implementation plan. The paper looks at how Canada can twin its innovation and climate protection agendas. These ten principles articulate a modus operandi for developing the next generation of a climate change plan. The principles are important for the next generation of technologies, cities, Canadians and the next generation of Federal Government. To download your very own copy, click here.

New section: One-Tonne Challenge

The Government of Canada recently launched the One-Tonne Challenge to motivate individual Canadians to use less energy and fewer resources in their daily activities, so they reduce their greenhouse gas emissions by an average of one tonne or about 20%. To help Yukoners achieve this goal, we've put together a brand new section full of great tips and ideas. Let Bob and Dog Mackenzie be your guides to the One-Tonne Challenge "Yukon Style". To check it out, click here.

Plan your emission reductions online with "One Less Tonne"

The Pembina Institute has created an online tool to help Canadians find ways to reduce their personal greenhouse gas emissions. "One Less Tonne" lets you choose from 20 simple actions you can take, and calculates how many tonnes of CO2 each action will reduce -- and the energy savings you can expect, too! To give it a try, click here.

B.C. Sustainable Energy Association

A new society has just started up, with the goal of promoting the increased use of sustainable energy in British Columbia. To find out more about the B.C. Sustainable Energy Association, click here.

COP 10 coverage launched

COP 10, the international climate change conference, will take place in December in Argentina. As usual, we'll be keeping a close eye on the lead-up, proceedings and aftermath, and posting it all on our COP 10 page. Check back regularly for updates as the conference draws near.

It's election day!

Be sure to go to the polls and make your choice today. For election results & analysis, check out one of these sites:

Weigh your options at CanadaVotes2004

CanadaVotes2004 is a non-partisan project supported by non-governmental organizations. Participants in CanadaVotes2004 are providing Canadian voters with the opportunity to learn their candidates position on a wide range of issues of importance to Canadians. CanadaVotes2004 provides you with the opportunity to speak directly to those who seek to represent you in Canada's next Parliament. For more, click here.

Federal election candidates to debate environment issues

CPAC (Cable Public Affairs Channel) has scheduled a candidates debate on environmental issues. It is scheduled for Thursday, June 24 at 9 a.m. Pacific. Additional times for have been scheduled for the repeat broadcast: June 24 at 1 p.m. Pacific, June 25 at noon Pacific, and June 26 at 9 a.m. Pacific. Please note that regularly scheduled programming on CPAC is sometimes pre-empted due to breaking events such as press conferences. For more details, click here.

Emissions Clinics -- No Fees, No Fines

Environment Canada, Environment Yukon and the City of Whitehorse are teaming up to offer free vehicle emissions clinics. There are no fines, penalties or follow-ups of any kind with individual vehicles regardless of how they fare on the tests. Clinics will be held in Dawson on June 7, in Haines Junction on June 9, and in Whitehorse on June 10 & 11. You can get more details in our One-Tonne Challenge section.

One-Tonne Challenge Community Challenge

The federal government is looking for communities to participate in a pilot program related to the One-Tonne Challenge. A Community Challenge is a locally implemented social marketing initiative that supports the One-Tonne Challenge national program, and addresses barriers to behavioural change at the community level. Participating communities will be eligible for partial funding. Applications must be submitted by June 10th. Complete information is available in our One-Tonne Challenge section.

Take part in the Commuter Challenge

Every year during Environment Week, communities across Canada are invited to participate in the Commuter Challenge, a friendly competition between Canadian cities to see which one can cut its air pollution the most by using active and/or sustainable modes of transportation. This year the challenge is taking place between May 30th and June 5th. For more information on Whitehorse's preparations for the Challenge, go to the What's New page in our One-Tonne Challenge section.

On TV: "The Great Warming"

"The Great Warming" is a three episode series about the science, consequences and solutions of climate change on the Discovery Channel. As a companion to the series, the producers are offering some free documents on climate change. You can download a PDF copy of a climate change fact sheet, and request a 24-page booklet on climate change, by going to this page. And to learn more about the series, including episode summaries, click here.

Primer on Climate Change and Human Health

The Primer on Climate Change and Human Health describes the potential effects that a warmer and more variable climate can have on our health. It discusses the climate change impacts that are expected to occur across Canada, as well as some of the actions being taken by various levels of government to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and to help Canadians adapt to a change climate. Helpful tips are given on what you can do to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases and ways in which you can protect yourself from harmful effects. For your very own copy, click here.

Environmental sustainability possible within a generation, Dr. Suzuki tells Prime Minister and municipal leaders

Canada can achieve economic and environmental sustainability within a generation if governments work with industry and public policy groups to address major issues like using water and electricity more efficiently, reducing waste and pollution, increasing investment in urban transit, and improving how we plan cities to curb urban sprawl, says a new report by the David Suzuki Foundation. For more, click here.

Energy and The Environment Calendar Contest

Once again, Natural Resources Canada is producing an Energy and the Environment Calendar. Students from across Canada have been invited to submit artwork for inclusion in the calendar. Students between six and thirteen years of age are invited to submit drawings which illustrate this year's theme, Taking Action on Climate Change. The entry deadline for Yukon students is May 14th. For all the details, click here.

Robert Bateman National Wildlife Week Writing and Art Contest 2004

The 2004 Robert Bateman Writing and Art Contest is gearing up for another successful year. Participants must be 18 years or younger, and all entries must be postmarked no later than April 22nd, 2004. To find out how to enter, click here.

David Anderson live webcasts from GLOBE 2004

GLOBE 2004, North America's largest environmental conference and trade fair, is taking place in Vancouver March 31st to April 2nd. Environment Minister David Anderson will be delivering opening remarks for the Livable Northern Communities session today (Friday, April 2nd) at 10:30 a.m. PST. Minister Anderson will also deliver the keynote address during the closing plenary today at 1:30 p.m. PST. If you wish to view either of these events live, click here.

Climate change and the 2004 Speech from the Throne

The Speech from the Throne on Monday mentioned climate change, the Kyoto Protocol, and sustainable development. Click here to read excerpts from the Speech dealing with climate and the environment. And to read the complete speech, click here.

The Yukon Greenhouse Challenge

The Yukon Greenhouse Challenge is a contest among five prominent Yukoners and their households. They will compete to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions over a six week stretch starting February 2004. The five competitors have been chosen -- click here to see who they are. And to find out more about The Challenge, click here.

International Polar Year 2007-2008

There will be a half-day meeting at the Westmark Whitehorse Hotel in Whitehorse, Yukon, on Thursday, March 25, 1 to 5 p.m., to discuss northern participation in the planning and execution of Canada's role in the International Polar Year 2007-2008. The meeting is co-sponsored by the Northern Climate ExChange and the Canadian Polar Commission.

IPY 2007/2008 will be a special year of international research focusing on the world's polar regions. Previous International Polar Years led to major advances in our understanding of the aurora, in mapping and tracking sea ice, in exploring the upper atmosphere, in the development of rockets and satellites, and much more.

Planning is underway now for the next International Polar Year in 2007/2008. What projects will Canada undertake? What role will the North play? How can Northerners get involved?

If you can't make the meeting in person but you want to be heard, please send a paragraph or two of comments to Claire Eamer at the Northern Climate ExChange. We'll post your comments at the meeting so that they can be part of the discussion.

The Nature of Things -- Arctic Mission

Arctic Mission is a five-part series on the effects of climate change and industrialization on the Arctic. You can watch it on The Nature of Things with David Suzuki, beginning Wednesday, January 28 at 7 p.m. on CBC Television. The program will be repeated on Sunday, February 1, at 5 p.m. Further programs will be aired each Wednesday throughout February. For more details, click here.

C-CIARN North Online Workshop #3

Exchange views with researchers and managers from all parts of Canada - and beyond - without having to leave home! C-CIARN North's online workshop allows you to take part in the discussion where you want and when you want. The subject of Workshop #3 is Managing Wildlife and Habitat in a Changing Climate, and it takes place February 16-18, 2004. To find out how to participate, click here.

Arctic Transect 2004

Arctic Transect 2004 is an educational exploration of Nunavut. Setting out to document arctic climate change the expedition will dogsled the territory of Nunavut, meeting Inuit Elders and students, to explore traditional ecological knowledge in the remote communities visited along the trail while gathering scientific data daily from the field for NASA and Environment Canada. To monitor their progress, click here.

The Top Ten Weather Stories For 2003

Environment Canada has released their annual compendium of the biggest weather stories from the past year. To see the list, click here.

ArcticNet is now online

ArcticNet connects well-established Centres of Excellence in the natural, medical and social sciences, and their partners in northern communities, federal and provincial agencies and the private sector to study the impacts of climate change in the Arctic. Their website is now up and running -- to check it out, click here.

Climate Change Indicators Initiative -- results published

A new document is available from the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment, which describes changes to Canada's climate during the 20th century and reviews trends and implications for twelve climate change indicators.

Fueling the Future

On December 2, CBC Newsworld broadcasted a one-hour documentary titled "Fueling the Future," a project about the future of energy. It also appeared on CBC Radio's Ideas program on December 10th. For more information, click here.

Your Turn With the Prime Minister

On Wednesday, February 4, CBC will present a special extended edition of The National featuring Your Turn With the Prime Minister. This is your chance to put a question to the prime minister, which will then be answered in a forum on CBC TV and CBC Newsworld. To submit your question, click here.

How big is your ecological footprint?

Ever wondered how much "nature" your lifestyle requires? The Ecological Footprint Quiz estimates how much productive land and water you need to support what you use and what you discard. To take the test, click here.

A warmer, wetter Northwest

The Seattle Post-Intelligencer has produced a poster detailing the impacts of future climate change on the Pacific Northwest. To download the poster, click here (pdf -- 201 K).

Nunavut signs on to Kyoto

On October 31 Nunavut became the first province or territory to sign a climate change agreement with the Federal Government. For the details, click here.

Renewable Energy Training Seminar coming to Whitehorse

On January 19, Natural Resources Canada will hold a one-day seminar on renewable energy systems in Whitehorse. Upon completion of the free seminar the participants will be more aware of viable renewable energy applications and they will learn how to perform high-quality and low-cost preliminary feasibility studies. For more information or to register, click here.

Recent warming of Arctic may affect worldwide climate

Recently observed change in Arctic temperatures and sea ice cover may be a harbinger of global climate changes to come, according to a recent NASA study. Satellite data -- the unique view from space -- are allowing researchers to more clearly see Arctic changes and develop an improved understanding of the possible effect on climate worldwide. For more info from NASA, click here.

Reminder: Climate change course offered at Yukon College

The NCE's Aynslie Ogden will be teaching a course on "Climate Change and the Circumpolar World" at Yukon College in the winter semester. The course starts January 6, and the last day to register is January 9. If you're interested, click here.

Youth Summit on Sustainable Urban Transportation

If you're aged 17-24 and are interested in sustainable transportation issues, you may want to take part in the International Youth Summit on Sustainable Urban Transportation. It'll be held in Ottawa in May 2004. But decide quickly -- applications are due by December 15. For all the details, click here.

Renewable Energy Training Seminars

Natural Resources Canada is offering Renewable Energy Training Seminars. Upon completion of the free seminar the participants will be more aware of viable renewable energy applications and they will learn how to perform high-quality and low-cost preliminary feasibility studies. The seminar will be in Whitehorse on January 19, in Iqaluit on March 3, and in Yellowknife on March 29. To register, click here.

Youth internships available

If you're 19 to 30 years old, and are originally from, or residing in, Northern Canada, you may be elegible to participate in one of four exciting international internship opportunities. You have to apply by November 25. For more, click here.

President Putin: Keep Russia in Kyoto!

If Russia does not ratify Kyoto, the agreement will fail. More than 100 countries, including Canada, Britain, Japan and Germany, have already signed this vital accord. In fact, Canada even said it will keep its commitments with or without Russia's participation. The David Suzuki Foundation is organizing a fax campaign to urge Vladimir Putin to ratify Kyoto. To participate, click here.

COP 9 is underway

COP 9, the international climate change conference, is now underway in Milan, Italy. Stay tuned to our COP 9 Special Coverage for all the latest news.

Network Newsletter Volume 18 now available

The Network Newsletter for October - December 2003 is now posted on the web. The Newsletter is intended for those interested and involved in climate-related impact assessment. It is hoped that it will serve to foster a growing network by keeping the community up to date on the many activities in this wide and varied field. To peruse it, click here.

Yukon Science Institute -- Public Lecture Series

The Yukon Science Institute's upcoming public lectures will focus on climate change.

  • Climate Change and Mammal Evolution
    October 5, Whitehorse
    October 6, Haines Junction
  • Fire, Forests, and Climate: Interactions in Yukon's Boreal Forests
    October 26, Whitehorse
    October 27, Carmacks
  • New Ice Cores From The Yukon: What Will They Reveal?
    November 9, Whitehorse
    November 10, Haines Junction
  • What's a poor tree to do when everything in its world is changing? A perspective on forest response to climate change in the North
    November 23, Whitehorse

YSI events are free and open to all. For more information, call 667-2979, or click here.

New manual on adaptation to climate change now available

WWF has just released a manual detailing how we can assess and adapt to a changing climate. "Buying Time: A User's Manual for Building Resistance and Resilience to Climate Change in Natural Systems," addresses all of the major biomes with practical ideas of how to begin increasing the resiliency of ecosystems and plan our protected areas in response to the threat of climate change. To download the full report, click here (pdf -- 1.09 MB).

Join the ClimatePrediction.net experiment

A global climate experiment, ClimatePrediction.net, involving millions of computers worldwide launches on September 12. The project aims to produce the world's largest climate prediction experiment. You can take part -- the experiment runs in the background on your home computer, and the results are sent to the researchers via the Internet. For more info, click here.

Weathering Change -- Summer/Fall 2003

The latest edition of Weathering Change -- the NCE newsletter -- is now available online. To take a look, click here (pdf -- 305K).

Weathering Change is produced four times a year. Subscribers to our mailing list will be notified when each new newsletter comes out (in addition to all the other great info they receive). If you'd like to get on the NCE mailing list, click here.

Deadlines extended -- CCAF Calls for Proposals

The deadlines for two Calls for Proposals under the Climate Change Impacts & Adaptation Program have been extended. Proposals regarding fisheries are now due September 5, and proposals regarding non-commercial food supply are now due September 26. For more information, go to the CCAF Calls for Proposals page or to our own Funding Opportunities page.

Government of Canada Announces $1 Billion Toward Implementation of the Climate Change Plan for Canada

The Government of Canada today announced the details of the investment of $1 billion towards the implementation of the Climate Change Plan for Canada. This investment is part of the Budget 2003 allocation and builds on $1.7 billion the Government of Canada has invested in climate change over the past five years. For more details, click here.

Eligibility Criteria for Grants Under the EnerGuide for Houses Retrofit Incentive

Homeowners may be eligible for home-improvement grants provided under the EnerGuide for Houses Retrofit Incentive. To see if you qualify, click here.

Official COP 9 home page launched

The official website for COP 9 is now up and running. This international climate change conference will be held in Milan, Italy from December 1-12, 2003. To check out the new site, click here. And don't forget to monitor our own COP 9 Special Coverage page for news and information on the upcoming conference.

Happy Birthday, Vladimir Putin!

October 7 is Russian President Putin's birthday. Friends of the Earth would like you to send him a Happy Birthday eCard and remind him that Russia urgently needs to ratify the Kyoto Protocol to ensure it enters into force. To send your eCard, click here.

Researchers look at life on the Arctic edge

Alec Aitken, a University of Saskatchewan geographer, is part of an international research team taking part in a year-long study of Canada's arctic seas. One of the research projects he'll be involved with will look at how much carbon is stored in the sediments and animal tissues of the sea bed, and how that changes with the seasons and the extent of sea ice. Understanding the processes that govern whether carbon is stored in the organisms and sediments or released into the atmosphere in the form of carbon dioxide is important to our ability to predict how global climate change might affect the Arctic. For more on the study, click here.

NWT Energy Strategy released

The Government of the NWT released their Energy Strategy on July 31. It outlines the directions the NWT can take to reduce the cost of energy, the use of imported fossil fuel and the impact of energy development on the natural environment. To download the document, click here (pdf -- 777K).

Environment Canada makes historic weather data available

Environment Canada has created a new web site which gives the public access to over 160 years of weather data. To check out the National Climate Archive, click here.

Designing a Greenhouse Gas Offsets System for Canada

Representatives of the Government of Canada will be meeting with officials from the provinces, territories and stakeholders during the month of June, 2003 to discuss design options for a Canadian offsets system for greenhouse gases (GHGs), as envisioned in the Climate Change Plan for Canada.

Your written submissions on the Discussion Paper are welcome. Written submissions received prior to July 31, 2003 will be incorporated into the summary report on the consultations. Submissions received after this date will not form part of the report, but will be considered in the development of the Design Paper. For more info, click here.

New website to address Arctic health concerns

The University of Alaska Anchorage Health Sciences Information Service and the National Library of Medicine have teamed up to create a new public website, ArcticHealth, to address health issues of particular concern to residents of northern regions. To check out the new site, click here.

U.S. Climate Change Science Program

The U.S. Climate Change Science Program integrates federal research on climate and global change, as sponsored by thirteen federal agencies. To go to their website, click here.

Future U.S. energy scenarios

Absent a mandatory carbon cap, U.S. carbon dioxide emissions are likely to rise across a wide range of possible energy futures, according to a new report released today by the Pew Center on Global Climate Change, U.S. Energy Scenarios for the 21st Century. To check out the scenarios, click here.

Twenty Hydrogen Myths

Hydrogen has been a hot topic lately, but there's a lot of misinformation out there. This paper from the Rocky Mountain Institute gives the basics on hydrogen and debunks 20 common myths in the process. To download it, click here (pdf -- 390K).

Corporate Governance and Climate Change: Making the Connection

How well are large companies preparing for the risks posed by climate change? This report by CERES, a coalition of investors and public interest groups, will help you understand. To get the report, click here (pdf -- 718K).

According to WMO, extreme weather events may increase

The World Meteorological Organization says that extreme weather is on the rise worldwide, and may continue to increase in the future due to climate change. For the full press release, click here.

Climate Chains race to Haines

Climate Chains bicycle relay teamCongratulations to the Climate Chains bicycle relay team, who participated in the annual Kluane Chilkat International Bike Relay from Haines Jct. to Haines. The team members are: (Top row, left to right) Helen Eddy, Andree Mallet, Mike Ellis, Tracy Erman; and (bottom row, left to right) Ryan Gould, Aaron Ogden, & Rory Wadham.

Partnership to decrease energy costs and greenhouse gases

A Memorandum of Understanding between Natural Resources Canada, Yukon Development Corporation, Federation of Canadian Municipalities and the Association of Yukon Communities will help local governments implement new energy efficiency and renewable energy initiatives. The three-year Yukon Municipal Energy Solutions Partnership was signed Monday evening at an event celebrating the territory's many energy achievements. For more info, click here.

Doing Their Bit: Ensuring Large Industrial Emitters Contribute Adequately to Canada's Implementation of the Kyoto Protocol

In November 2002, the federal government issued its Climate Change Plan for Canada, a blueprint for Canada's implementation of the Kyoto Protocol. This report from the Pembina Institute assesses the adequacy of the scenario that the Plan lays out for reducing GHG emissions from industry. It also makes recommendations for how that scenario should be interpreted to uphold the environmental integrity and fairness of the Plan as a whole. To download a copy, click here.

Climate Change: The Federal Investment

Climate Change: The Federal Investment presents an overview of the activities and results that the federal government has undertaken and achieved in addressing climate change between 1997 and 2002. The Report focuses on specific initiatives launched or proposed during this period, as well as ongoing program activities. For the full report, click here.

North Pole webcams

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has deployed two webcams at the North Pole. The images from the cameras track the North Pole snow cover, weather conditions and the status of the Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory's North Pole instrumentation, which includes meteorological and ice sensors. To see the latest images, click here.

New websites from International Energy Agency

The International Energy Agency has recently created two new interactive websites. Dealing with Climate Change offers a searchable access to information on energy-related policies and measures taken or planned in IEA Member countries to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Renewable Energy Policies and Measures in IEA Countries offers a detailed reference to more than 120 legislative acts that support the development and market uptake of renewable energy sources.

NCE launches COP 9 Special Coverage

The preparations for COP 9 are now underway. The conference will be held in Milan, Italy, from December 1-12, 2003. We've just launched our COP 9 Special Coverage page, where you'll find news updates and other resources. Keep an eye on this page as the conference draws nearer.

Environment and Sustainable Development Indicators for Canada

The National Round Table on the Environment and the Economy undertook the Environment and Sustainable Development Indicators Initiative to find ways to track the impact of current economic practices on the natural and human assets that will be needed by future generations of Canadians. The results of this initiative are now available -- either online, as a downloadable PDF, or as a printed copy. To peruse it, click here.

Municipal Leaders' Forum on Implementing Kyoto

Municipal leaders from across Canada met in Regina on April 27-29, 2003 to make recommendations on the implementation of the Kyoto Protocol. To read the resolution they passed, click here.

Energy efficiency -- Yukon scores an A

The Canadian Energy Efficiency Alliance recently released the results of their latest National Report Card of Energy Efficiency. The report card is an annual snapshot of how our federal, provincial and territorial governments are performing on energy efficiency issues. Congratulations to the governments of Quebec and of the Yukon who, with "A" grades, shared the top mark for the second consecutive year. For the whole story, click here.

Health Canada -- Climate Change and Health website

The Climate Change and Health Office at Health Canada is pleased to announce that our Web site has been renewed. The Office helps Canadians understand how climate change will impact their health and well-being and works to find solutions to better adapt to the environmental changes caused by the warming of the planet. To tour the site, click here.

2001 Greenhouse Gas Inventory Shows Decline In Overall Emissions

As required by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), Canada recently submitted its greenhouse gas emission statistics for 2001 to the UNFCCC Secretariat in Bonn. All Canadians should be encouraged by the knowledge that our greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions declined by 1.3 percent from 2000 to 2001. This is the first year-to-year decline since 1991-1992, and most significantly, the first time since 1990 that our GHG emissions declined while our economy grew. For the full story, click here.

FiscallyGreen.ca

Ecological fiscal reform (EFR) is "a strategy that redirects a government's taxation and expenditure programs to create an integrated set of incentives to support the shift to sustainable development." FiscallyGreen.ca provides a one-stop shop for information on EFR in Canada and around the world. To explore this new site, click here.

2003 Yukon International Wind Conference

On May 25-28, 2003, Whitehorse will host the Yukon International Wind Conference. The conference program and other important information is now available online. Early-bird registration ends April 24, 2003. For the details, click here. (Note: the site doesn't seem to work with Netscape 4 for some reason)

Scientific Facts on Climate Change and Global Warming

The GreenFacts Foundation yesterday announced its publication online of a simplified summary of the latest Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change global climate assessment, which was published in 2001. The online publication is the first in a planned series of GreenFacts Foundation summaries intended to make scientific reporting accessible to nonspecialists. To peruse it, click here.

Confronting Climate Change in the Great Lakes Region

A comprehensive new study released by the Union of Concerned Scientists and the David Suzuki Foundation shows that climate change is altering the character of the Great Lakes region, presenting challenges to the environment, the economy and the people who live there. For more, click here.

Weathering Change -- Spring 2003

The latest edition of Weathering Change -- the NCE newsletter -- is now available online. To take a look, click here (pdf -- 324K).

Weathering Change is produced four times a year. Subscribers to our mailing list will be notified when each new newsletter comes out (in addition to all the other great info they receive). If you'd like to get on the NCE mailing list, click here.

NCE Bulletins now available

We've just put the finishing touches on eleven new bulletins, each highlighting a different climate change topic. To browse the subjects and view the bulletins, click here.

Transcripts: Standing Senate Committee on Agriculture and Forestry

The Standing Senate Committee on Agriculture and Forestry began hearings in the fall of 2002 on the issue of climate change impacts and adaptation in Canada. All C-CIARN Regions were invited to testify before the Committee to provide the Senators with an overview of how each region of the country may be impacted by climate change and to outline the adaptation issues that are a priority. Transcripts of the Senate Committee hearings and the briefs provided by C-CIARN Regions are now available online. To access them, click here.

Mount Pinatubo and the Arctic Oscillation

A recent NASA-funded study has linked the 1991 eruption of the Mount Pinatubo to a strengthening of a climate pattern called the Arctic Oscillation. For two years following the volcanic eruption, the Arctic Oscillation caused winter warming over land areas in the high and middle latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere, despite a cooling effect from volcanic particles that blocked sunlight. For the details from NASA, click here.

Snowchange 2003 Conference Declaration

The Snowchange 2003 Conference, held in February, collected a vast number of Northern Indigenous delegations, researchers, international NGOs and students to tackle the issues of climate change in the north. During the three-day Summit in Murmansk, the Northern port of Russia, these concerns and issues were drafted into a declaration that is now available online. To read the declaration, click here.

Intern wanted at NCE

The Northern Climate ExChange is looking for an intern to help out as a research assistant. If you're interested, and you're a Yukon post-secondary student, click here.

ACEEE Green Book

Looking for a more environmentally-friendly vehicle? The American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) recently released their new Green Book, which gives a "Green Score" to cars, trucks and SUVs. To investigate, click here.

Canada: Post-Kyoto -- What does it mean to you?

Royal Roads University invites Canadians from all walks of life to share their views and ideas on what Kyoto means to them from where they work, where they live, and how they see their future. Our intent is to uncover new ideas from Canadians, which we will present on your behalf to policy-makers across the country. Please join us in our work, and in making our voices heard. Together we can make a difference and chose alternative futures. To join in, click here.

A Canadian Action Plan for Kyoto

The federal government's projected budget surplus of $8 billion for the current fiscal year should be rolled into an innovative Kyoto Investment and Transition Fund instead of being used to reduce the federal debt. That's the key recommendation advanced in a technical paper prepared for the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives' forthcoming Alternative Federal Budget. For more, click here.

Make a Kyoto commitment at MyKyoto.ca

Mykyoto.ca gives you a snapshot of information about climate change, greenhouse gases, the Kyoto Protocol, and actions you can take to reduce your personal greenhouse gas emissions emissions by 6%. You can then make a commitment to do your part to help Canada meet its greenhouse gas reduction target by signing your own personal Kyoto agreement. To take part, click here.

C-CIARN North Online Workshop #1 -- Transcript now available

On January 8-9, C-CIARN North conducted its first online workshop. The subject was Climate Change and Infrastructure, and it was in session on a web forum provided by the Canadian Polar Commission. This was very much an experiment, to see if we could come up with a more cost-effective and environmentally friendly way of bringing people together than by flying them vast distances around the country.

We're very pleased with how well it worked. We had more than 60 registrants from around the country and beyond, and more than 80 messages were posted over the two days, most of them substantial contributions to the discussion. In fact, a few messages are still trickling in.

The conference newsgroup is private, but the transcript, list of participants and a number of documents several participants contributed to the discussion are now available at the C-CIARN North website. The summary report will appear in the spring edition of the Northern Climate ExChange's newsletter, Weathering Change.

We have a second online workshop scheduled for February 5-6, and C-CIARN people are welcome to join in if you're interested. Watch the C-CIARN North website for details.

A Sustainable Climate Policy

Climate change and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are far from the daily concerns of Canadians. A sustainable climate policy can only be built by explicitly addressing the core concerns of industry, communities and citizens. In this paper, the Liu Institute for Global Issues presents policy options that support core concerns while reducing GHG emissions from the transportation, industry, energy, and agro-forestry sectors. To download the document, click here (pdf -- 735K).

Kyoto -- What Now?

Now that Kyoto has been ratified, what do we do next? CBC News has compiled a collection of radio reports on what's in store for all of us. For the scoop, click here.

The Trial of the Kyoto Accord

CBC Radio One's Sunday Edition put the Kyoto Accord on trial before an audience at the Museum of Civilization in Hull on December 7, 2002. The verdict was broadcast on December 15th. To listen to the trial, and for more info, click here.

Kyoto backgrounder

A collection of FAQs, fact sheets, editorials and links from the Globe and Mail. To see what's there, click here.

Straight Talk About Kyoto

Produced and distributed by a coalition of labour, environmental and citizens' organizations, including the Pembina Institute, Straight Talk About Kyoto presents key facts in response to eleven myths about the Kyoto Protocol and climate change. To check it out, click here.

Government of Canada releases climate change plan for Canada

Environment Minister David Anderson and Natural Resources Minister Herb Dhaliwal, on behalf of the Government of Canada, have released the "Climate Change Plan for Canada". The plan outlines how Canada can meet the greenhouse gas reduction target it set for itself under the Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.

Climate Change: Is the Science Sound?

This report, by Ontario Environment Commissioner Gord Miller, provides an assessment of the science of climate change. To read what he has to say, click here (pdf -- 551K).

The Benefits of Energy Efficiency Investment: Creating Jobs and Supporting the Economy While Addressing Climate Change

This paper by the Canadian Energy Efficiency Alliance highlights the economic benefits of undertaking energy efficiency improvements and establishes the positive connections between increased economic activity and improved environmental performance while mitigating climate change. For their take, click here (pdf -- 220K).

Promoting Green Power in Canada

This report, prepared for Pollution Probe, examines and assesses policy initiatives in countries that have implemented strategies to promote the development of green power markets and renewable electricity generation capacity. The report contains a large amount of information on policies and incentives that may be effective and appropriate for implementation in Canada. For the full report, click here (pdf -- 5.8 MB).

Frequently Asked Questions about the Science of Climate Change

Canadians frequently ask questions that indicate considerable public confusion about many aspects of climate change science and related research. This confusion is compounded by contrarian arguments raised by skeptics that, for the most part, have not stood the tests of peer review and time but are still often put forward by media and others as 'sound science'. This document, from the Meteorological Service of Canada, addresses some of these questions and arguments by providing both a simple response and a more detailed background explanation for each. To check it out, click here.

C-CIARN North Online Workshop #1: Climate Change and Infrastructure

Does climate change give you a sinking feeling? Let's talk it over! Join C-CIARN North's online workshop. Swap ideas, scope out the issues, and brainstorm solutions -- without having to hop a plane or spend a night in a hotel! It takes place Wednesday, January 8, and Thursday, January 9, 2003. To find out how to take part, click here.

Kyoto in the kitchen

A backgrounder from CBC News giving simple tips that individual Canadians can use to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions. For more, click here.

Kyoto -- What does it mean?

The Toronto Star has compiled this primer on Kyoto -- the issues and opinions involved, and the potential impacts on us all. For the article, click here.

We can do better: Achieving a made in Canada climate change action plan

The Canadian Coalition for Responsible Environmental Solutions (CCRES) represents business organizations, industry associations and consumer advocacy groups that support a Made in Canada approach to climate change. In this document, CCRES outlines a path toward building a stronger national consensus on climate change -- a means to inform and involve Canadians in this critical global issue. For their side of the story, click here (pdf -- 167K).

The End of Development? Global warming, disasters and the great reversal of human progress

This report by The New Economics Foundation argues that human development faces potentially the biggest u-turn in its history. After decades of painfully slow human advancement, global warming and bad development threaten a great reversal of human progress. A new model is needed, in which every policy decision must answer one key question: will this increase or decrease vulnerability in the face of an increasingly unstable world? To read on, click here (pdf -- 855K).

Fresh Air? Options for the future architecture of international climate change policy

Continuing with current frameworks for tackling global warming is a recipe for disaster. This new report, written by Alex Evans, Energy Research Fellow at the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR), interrogates the various proposed climate policy options and makes recommendations for a framework capable of winning both political support and ensuring environmental integrity. For more, click here (pdf -- 338K).

Government of Canada Climate Change Draft Plan

The federal government released its Climate Change Draft Plan, a rough outline of how it plans to meet the country's commitments under the Kyoto Protocol.

Ministers call for effective action to limit emissions and reduce vulnerability to climate change

Ministers and senior officials from some 170 countries have adopted a Delhi Ministerial Declaration on climate change and sustainable development. For the full press release, click here (pdf -- 29K).

The Delhi Ministerial Declaration on Climate Change and Sustainable Development

COP 8 in New Delhi came to a conclusion on Friday, with the adoption of the Delhi Declaration. To read what the world's negotiators agreed upon, click here (pdf -- 11K).

Municipal perspective on Government of Canada Draft Climate Change Plan

The Federation of Canadian Municipalities has weighed in with its opinion on the federal draft climate change plan.

The Case for Kyoto: The Failure of Voluntary Corporate Action

The failure of most Canadian businesses to voluntarily reduce greenhouse gas emissions shows that the Kyoto Protocol is the only credible way for Canada to address climate change, says a new study from the Pembina Institute and the David Suzuki Foundation. To check out this study, click here (pdf -- 320K).

America's Gas Tank: The High Cost of Canada's Oil and Gas Export Strategy

Canada, not Saudi Arabia, is the single largest supplier of oil and gas to the United States. This October 2002 report from NRDC and the Sierra Club of Canada shows that U.S. demand for fossil fuels is destroying Canadian air, land and water resources. To download the report, click here.

Public lecture: Climate Change and Global Warming -- Where Does Kyoto Fit In?

Recent attempts to oppose the ratification of the Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and promote a "Made in Alberta" alternative have been accompanied by renewed scepticism about the validity of the science that underpins the arguments for a political process designed to mitigate the effects of anthropogenic climate change. This talk will identify and address the principal concerns that have been raised. It will take place in Edmonton, Alberta on November 13, 2002. For all the details, click here (pdf -- 95K).

Arctic Pollution 2002

The Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme has just released their second 'State of the Arctic Environment Report'. It presents the results of work conducted during 1998-2002 in relation to five priority areas: persistent organic pollutants, heavy metals, radioactivity, human health, and pathways of contaminants. For the full story, click here.

Weathering Change -- NCE Newsletter for Fall 2002

The latest edition of Weathering Change -- the NCE newsletter -- is now available online. To take a look, click here (pdf -- 478K).

Weathering Change will be produced four times a year. Subscribers to our mailing list will be notified when each new newsletter comes out (in addition to all the other great info they receive). If you'd like to get on the NCE mailing list, click here.

A climate of change

Listen to a collection of reports from CBC dealing with this year's drought and climate change. To check it out, click here.

Participants report on International Children's Conference on the Environment

Whitehorse students Marie and Andrea Abbott attended the International Children's Conference on the Environment in Victoria in May 2002. They've written a report on what they saw and did while there. To read it, click here.

Offset your greenhouse gas emissions next time you fly

The world is full of beautiful and fascinating places to explore -- but aircraft emit significant quantities of greenhouse gases. What to do? A new service allows the traveler to purchase emission reduction credits to offset the environmental impact of their flight. For all the details, click here.

NCE sponsors Whitehorse team "Plum Tuckered" in 2002 Klondike Road Relay

Plum Tuckered130 10-person relay teams traversed 176 km from Skagway to Whitehorse during the 20th Annual Klondike Road Relay. The international race follows the trail of Gold Rush Stampeders, winding its way through challenging terrain and breathtaking scenery from coastal Alaska, over 1004 m White Pass, ending in the Yukon's capital city. Nightime weather this year included clouds, fog and rain, but the race ended on a sunny, crisp fall day.

The NCE-sponsored team, "Plum Tuckered", sported t-shirts with NCE mascots Bob and Dog Mackenzie who are always on the lookout for ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to climate change. The team did their bit to reduce vehicle emissions by carpooling between checkpoints during the 19-hour relay. Congratulations on a successful finish, racers!

Kyoto a go, PM says

CP, September 2, 2002: Prime Minister Jean Chretien delighted environmentalists and infuriated the Alberta government on Monday by promising that Parliament will be asked to ratify the Kyoto climate accord before the end of the year. More...

A round of applause, please

The Northern Climate ExChange's coordinator, Aynslie Ogden, has won the 2001-2002 Yukon College President's Award for Quality. Her work and accomplishments were recognized on August 27 at the Yukon College President's breakfast in Whitehorse. Congratulations, Aynslie!

2003 Yukon International Wind Conference

On May 25-28, 2003, Whitehorse will host the Yukon International Wind Conference. Full details on this event will be posted here as they become available. To see the preliminary announcement, click here.

2002 Fridge Exchange

Have you got an elderly refrigerator in your house? You could save a lot of electricity -- and money -- by purchasing a new, energy-efficient fridge. And, the Canada-Yukon Energy Solutions Centre is currently offering incentives to new fridge buyers. Interested? click here.

119 Liberal caucus members support ratifying Kyoto in 2002

96 Liberal MPs presented a letter to Prime Minister Jean Chretien on August 22 that states their unequivocal support for ratifying the Kyoto Protocol on climate change before the end of the year. All 96 MPs, along with 23 Senators, signed the letter over the past few weeks. For more, including the text of the letter and names of the signatories, click here.

New! NCE Knowledge Site

We've completed work on our Knowledge Site and moved it to its new permanent address, at http://yukon.taiga.net/knowledge/. This new site integrates our gap analysis project, the Matrix Maker, and the Infosources and Contacts databases under one virtual roof, along with NCE publications and reports and the northern climate change information from the old knowledge page. Stop on by and check it out!

Circumpolar Climate Change Summit and Exposition -- proceedings published

The Northern Climate ExChange is pleased to announce that the proceedings from last years Climate Change Summit are available in the Northern Review, Number 24. This special issue of the Northern Review contains proceedings from the Circumpolar Climate Change Summit held in Whitehorse Yukon, March 19th to 21st, 2001, as well as ten papers on northern climate change that complement discussions which took place at the Summit. To download a copy, click here.

1971-2000 Canadian Climate Normals

"Climate normals" are used to summarize or describe the average climatic conditions of a particular location. At the completion of each decade, Environment Canada updates its climate normals according to the United Nation's World Meteorological Organization (WMO) standards for as many stations and as many climatic characteristics as possible. The climate normals offered here are based on Canadian climate stations with data from 1971 to 2000. To see the data, click here.

Designing a Climate-Friendly Energy Policy: Options for the Near Term

As the national debates on energy and climate policies continue, the Pew Center on Global Climate Change today released a new report identifying a range of feasible near-term "climate-friendly" energy policy options that can satisfy traditional U.S. energy policy objectives while reducing future U.S. greenhouse gas emissions. To read the full report, click here (pdf -- 473K).

Keep tabs on Kyoto

Thanks to the UNFCCC, it's easy to stay up-to-date on progress made toward ratifying the Kyoto Protocol. The Kyoto Thermometer is an interactive tool from the UNFCCC that allows you to see the positive impact of additional countries ratifying the accord. As well, they issue a regularly updated document detailing which countries have and have not ratified Kyoto.

California passes greenhouse gas emission bill

The State of California has enacted legislation that will regulate the emissions of greenhouse gases from vehicles. It is the first such law passed in the U.S.

CBC World at Six -- Britain's Kyoto efforts

While the federal government continues to delay its decision on whether to ratify the Kyoto Accord, other countries are taking action. CBC's Greg Rasmussen has this report on the British battle plan. To listen, click here (RealPlayer required).

NCE Annual Report 2001-2002

Want the complete run down on how the last year has been here at the Northern Climate ExChange? You'll find everything you could possibly want in this, our latest annual report. For your very own copy, click here (pdf -- 847K).

American Bar Association -- June climate change newsletter

The American Bar Association's Climate Change and Sustainable Development Committee periodically publishes a nwesletter featuring detailed analysis on climate change and sustainable development issues. The June issue focuses on the impact of U.S. climate change policy on U.S. energy, environmental and foreign policy initiatives; sustainable development policy implementation in the EU; and more. To see for yourself, click here.

The great race

The latest edition of The Economist contains a special section devoted to sustainable development, including articles on climate change. To read the articles, click here.

Independence Day from Esso

Five major Canadian environmental groups have chosen American Independence Day to join the growing global StopEsso campaign, in honour of the company's role in helping set George Bush's climate change policy. To see what's up, click here.

New poll shows Canadians would condemn rejection of Kyoto

A recent Environmental Monitor survey conducted by Environics International reveals that fully seven in ten Canadians would disapprove if Canada were to rescind the Kyoto Accord to limit greenhouse gas emissions like the United States has. The poll illustrates that not ratifying the Accord could involve substantial political risk. For the full results of the poll, click here (pdf -- 180K).

Canada selects 9 projects to lead in international research

Allan Rock, Minister of Industry, recently joined Dr. David W. Strangway, President and CEO of the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI), to announce the names of nine large-scale research infrastructure projects aimed at promoting Canada's position in the areas of marine and environmental sciences, infectious diseases, astronomy, light sources, and particle physics. Among the projects is a research icebreaker to study the changing Arctic Ocean and global climate change issues. To get all the details, click here.

Taking Effective Action on Climate Change

This paper by West Coast Environmental Law is a response to the Federal Options Paper and the Alberta Plan and makes a series of findings and recommendations in regard to how Canada should address climate change and implement the Kyoto Protocol. To see what they suggest, click here (pdf -- 138K).

Congratulations Whitehorse, for your second place finish in the Commuter Challenge

During the 2002 Commuter Challenge, Whitehorse residents walked, cycled, took the bus or carpooled to work or did some telecommuting. As a result, Whitehorse placed second amongst the list of Canadian communities participating. To find out more, click here.

Keeping Canada In Kyoto -- The case for immediate ratification and domestic emission reductions

The federal government is engaged in cross-Canada consultations on implementing the Kyoto Protocol on climate change. The David Suzuki Foundation has done a critical analysis of the federal government's discussion paper as well as the Alberta government's proposal. To see what they say, click here (pdf -- 117K).

Whitehorse information session

Mr. Don Fast, Regional Director General of Environment Canada, Pacific and Yukon Region, will be hosting an information session to present Canada's approach on climate change and to receive comments. This information session will highlight both the ecological and economic impacts of climate change in our region, providing context for further discussion. It will be held on Monday, July 15, 2002 at the Westmark Whitehorse Hotel. Further details are provided below. Please RSVP if you are able to attend. Thank you in advance for your interest, and we look forward to your feedback.

DATE: Monday, July 15, 2002

PLACE: Westmark Whitehorse Hotel, 201 Wood Street, Whitehorse

TIME: 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.

RSVP: Please note date and location of session when you RSVP.
Allan Chau, Communications
Environment Canada
Tel: (604) 713-9515

How Ratifying the Kyoto Protocol Will Benefit Canada's Competitiveness

Real-world evidence about initiatives to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and address other environmental challenges provides a sound basis for concluding that Canada's competitiveness is likely to benefit, not suffer, if Canada ratifies the Kyoto Protocol. This is the overall conclusion of a report by the Pembina Institute, released by the Canadian Climate Action Network.

Oil Corporations and the Destruction of the Climate

This report presents the findings of a study commissioned by Greenpeace on how oil corporations must assume responsibility for the climate. To read it, click here (pdf -- 592K).

Weathering Change -- NCE Newsletter for summer 2002

The inaugural edition of Weathering Change -- our new newsletter -- is now available to peruse online. To take a look, click here (pdf -- 379K).

Weathering Change will be produced four times a year. Subscribers to our mailing list will be notified when each new newsletter comes out (in addition to all the other great info they receive). If you'd like to get on the NCE mailing list, click here.

National Climate Change Business Plan 2002

The National Climate Change Business Plan 2002 demonstrates the continued efforts of Canada's federal, provincial and territorial governments to manage the risks of climate change by taking individual and joint action to reduce emissions, to prepare to adapt to a changing environment, and to encourage and enable action by all Canadians. To read the full plan, click here (pdf -- 540K).

Civil Society Report: Summit or Plummet?

The Canadian Environmental Network Forum for the World Summit for Sustainable Development is asking NGOs to endorse this report assessing Canada's progress and failures since the Earth Summit in Rio in 1992. To check out the report, click here.

People and the Planet: Changing Values for a Sustainable Future

On the 10th Anniversary of the Rio Earth Summit, the Sierra Club of Canada and the Kingston Chapter of the Society for Conservation Biology invite all those who care about the state of our natural and human environments to come together for a major four day conference, to be held June 5-9, 2002 at Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario. For the details, click here.

Are You Doing Your Bit -- Screensaver

We've transformed our "Are You Doing Your Bit" slide show into a screensaver! Now, you can let Bob and Dog Mackenzie's tips on how to do your bit appear on your screen all the time. To download it, click here.

Canadian Environment Week -- June 2-8, 2002

Canadian Environment Week is held the first week of June each year to coincide with World Environment Day, proclaimed by the United Nations in 1972 and celebrated on June 5. The name "Canadian Environment Week" was chosen to bring attention to the many facets of the environment and the benefits of environmental protection. For more, click here.

Commuter Challenge 2002

The Commuter Challenge is a week-long, friendly competition between Canadian cities to see which one can cut its air pollution the most by using active and/or sustainable modes of transportation. All you have to do is make a commitment to walk, jog, cycle or in-line skate (active transportation) and/or bus, carpool or telework (sustainable transportation) during Environment Week (June 2-8, 2002), then let us know the mode you used and the distance you traveled. To get the details, click here.

Canada lags behind U.S. states in climate change action -- Canadian complaints of U.S. inaction unfounded

U.S. initiatives to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions far outstrip Canada's efforts, according to a report released May 17 by the Pembina Institute and World Wildlife Fund.

International Children's Conference on the Environment

The International Children's Conference on the Environment is currently being held in Victoria, and seven students from the Yukon are taking part. Watch this site for a post-conference report. And for info on the conference, click here.

David Anderson interviewed on CBC Radio

Environment Minister David Anderson was interviewed on CBC Radio's The House on Saturday, May 18 where he discussed Kyoto. To listen to the program, click here (you'll need RealPlayer).

Publications and resources available from the Northern Climate ExChange

We've got a wide variety of climate change resource materials here at the NCE. To make all this info more readily available to you, we've just completed an online order form. To see what we have to offer, click here.

National Stakeholder Workshops on Climate Change

Federal, provincial and territorial Energy and Environment Ministers requested that a series of stakeholder workshops be held to seek input on Canada's future climate change policy. The federal government has prepared a discussion paper that identifies and assesses potential options for achieving Canada's Kyoto target. The recent economic analysis undertaken by the Analysis and Modelling Working Group, along with potential options for addressing climate change, will be the principal subjects of workshops in 14 cities across Canada between June 7 and June 24, 2002:

  • June 11 -- Whitehorse
  • June 13 -- Yellowknife
  • June 24 -- Iqaluit

To learn more, click here.

A Discussion Paper on Canada's Contribution to Addressing Climate Change

The Government of Canada's Discussion Paper on Canada's Contribution to Addressing Climate Change explains what they know about climate change and what they have concluded. It presents four options for addressing Canada's climate change commitments and the analytical results that are currently available and seeks input on a number of key issues.

To read it, click here. And for the joint statement by Ministers Anderson and Dhaliwal on the release of the discussion paper, click here.

United Church of Canada -- Climate Change Action Alert

The United Church of Canada's 37th General Council in August 2000 called for ratification of the Kyoto Protocol. Along with the ecumenical coalition Kairos, the UCC is asking you to write to the Prime Minister, your provincial Premier, as well as your local MP and MPP, expressing your support that Canada move forward with immediate ratification of the Kyoto Protocol. For details, click here.

Take part in climate prediction experiment at home

Computer simulations of climate change are often huge, time-consuming and expensive. But if, instead of having one computer run the entire simulation, thousands of computers each run one small part of the simulation, the results would be available much more easily. At ClimatePrediction.com they intend to do just that -- and they want your help! Check it out...

NCE Special Coverage: Earth Summit 2002

Earth Summit 2002 -- the World Summit on Sustainable Development -- is coming up on August 26 to September 4, in Johannesburg, South Africa. Among the many important topics to be discussed at this meeting will be climate change, and we'll be watching the proceedings closely to keep you informed on the talks and what they mean to the north. Watch our special coverage page for updates!

Federation of Canadian Municipalities urges support for Kyoto

Municipal government support for ratification of the Kyoto Protocol could make the difference as the Government of Canada decides whether to follow through on its international commitment. A decision is expected by the end of 2002. To find resources for taking action, click here.

Get efficient with the Yukon Housing Corporation

The Yukon Housing Corporation offers energy-efficiency related information, technical assistance and financing to build and upgrade Yukon housing. To see what they can do for you, click here.

It's Earth Day!

Monday, April 22nd marks the 32nd commemoration of Earth Day. Earth Day is now widely celebrated around the world as a collective expression of public will to create a sustainable society. To find out more, click here.

Envirozine -- Climate Change and Wildlife

A recent article in Enviroment Canada's Envirozine focuses on climate change in Canada, as well as the effect this alteration has on Canadian wildlife. To read the article, click here.

Elders Conference on Climate Change

On March 29-31, 2001, Eighteen Elders from all regions of Nunavut met in Cambridge Bay to discuss Climate Change in Nunavut. The objective of the conference was to gather "Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit" (Traditional Knowledge) and experiences of Inuit elders, concerning climate change and its effects in Nunavut. The proceedings of this conference are now available online -- just click here (pdf -- 3.2MB).

National Wildlife Week examines climate change

National Wildlife Week takes place April 7-13, 2002 and focuses on climate change. The Canadian Wildlife Federation chose "Climate is Changing. Help Wildlife Weather the Storm" as this year's slogan.

During the week, Canadians will have an opportunity to learn about climate change and discover how species like polar bears, whooping cranes, Coho salmon, and monarch butterflies are faring during this ecological crisis. They'll discover what they can do to slow down or at least minimize the impact to wildlife from warming temperatures, rising sea levels, calamitous weather events and other phenomena that will not only affect humans and wildlife but ecosystems like grasslands, shorelines, forests, and alpine meadows.

For more on National Wildlife Week, click here.

Power Trip

Why are we so dependent on fossil fuels? What are the hidden costs? And why does northern Canada seem to ignore the possible benefits of alternative energy? Join CBC Northbeat's Lee Selleck this February and March as the award-winning journalist brings us a multi-part examination of energy policy and practice in the north.

What do you think?

It seems everyone these days is doing a poll on climate change and the Canadian government ratifying the Kyoto protocol. We haven't missed the chance to do our own version of a poll. Take a moment to participate by clicking here.

CANCELLED! Presentation in Whitehorse on Kyoto and municipalities

Sorry for the short notice, but due to urgent personal matters, the presentation scheduled for Thursday, May 9: Climate Change and the Kyoto Protocol, The Role of Municipalities by Jack Layton, President, Federation of Canadian Municipalities is cancelled. Thank you for your interest in this event. If you have informed others about this event, could you please pass on this cancellation message.

Speak out!

Got more to say on the politics of Kyoto or the wisdom of ratifying? Can't get space in the letters to the editor section of the Globe and Mail or the National Post? Yea, Nay, political rant or scientific dissertation. Say your piece in our speak out section.

Are you doing your bit? A slide show on how you can help...

Need some tips on how to do your bit? Check out the handy hints in this slide show. Over the next several weeks we're going to continue adding slides, so check back often!

Bush outlines climate change plans

Last year the U.S. decided to reject the Kyoto Protocol, saying that they would instead come up with an alternative plan. Well, on February 14 President Bush revealed the details of that plan to combat greenhouse gases. For the full text of Bush's announcement, click here. And don't forget to visit our Kyoto InfoCentre to read all the news and reaction.

Unaami Data Collection

The Unaami Data Collection is an interdisciplinary, diverse collection of Arctic variables which represent different geographic regions and data types. The time series extend from 1970 to the present. The Unaami Data Collection includes both basic physical meteorological and oceanographic data and "impact data" such as fisheries, marine mammals, ozone and plant changes. To dive into the collection, click here.

International Bathymetric Chart of the Arctic Ocean

The goal of this initiative is to develop a digital data base that contains all available bathymetric data north of 64 degrees North, for use by mapmakers, researchers, and others whose work requires a detailed and acurate knowledge of the depth and the shape of the Arctic seabed. To check it out, click here.

Happy Groundhog Day!

Today's the day when we all look to our furry underground friends to see what the weather has in store for us over the next six weeks.

Idle-Free Zone

Walk down a northern street or through a parking lot when the weather gets icy and you're almost guaranteed to see a lot of vehicles sitting there idling. It's just something that Canadians assume should be done when it's cold. But guess what -- idling is unnecessary, wasteful and expensive! Natural Resources Canada's Office of Energy Efficiency has created a website to educate us all about the folly of idling. To see for yourself, click here.

Calendar Club

Kids and teachers have a new interactive resource online. Natural Resources Canada's Calendar Club makes learning about climate change and energy efficiency fun and interesting. To join the fun, click here.

Climate Change Hub Gateway

It's now easier than ever to see what other provinces are doing to combat climate change. The Climate Change Hub Gateway provides links to all fourteen hubs across the country, including the NCE. To go there, click here.

Fuel cell presentation on March 4

The Canadian Technology Network & the Northern Climate ExChange would like to invite you to a presentation occurring in Whitehorse on March 4th: Fuel Cells -- What are they, how do they work and how do they fit into our future? For all the details, click here.

New look for the NCE website!

As regular visitors will already have noticed, we've just put the finishing touches on a total overhaul of our site. We hope you're as happy with the new design as we are. We'd love to hear your comments and constructive criticisms -- just contact us and let us know what you think.

Arctic Knowledge on NPR

On January 10 National Public Radio held a phone-in show discussing arctic knowledge and its role in climate change research. If you'd like to see what was discussed and listen to an archive of the show, click here.

HARC online workshop reports

The reports from the series of online workshops conducted late last year by the Human Dimensions of the Arctic System initiative are now available. To see them, click here.

The North American Mosaic: State of the Environment Report

The North American Commission for Environmental Cooperation has just released a report which predicts dire consequences for the environment from a variety of threats, including global warming. To check out the report, click here.

Take part in Ice Watch

Scientists monitor ice conditions on Canada's many water bodies to help paint a clearer picture of our climate. But in such a vast country, they need all the help they can get. Environment Canada is inviting interested Canadians to participate in Ice Watch, by recording ice conditions on a water body near you. Interested? Click here.

Earth Summit 2002 -- National report draft

The draft of Canada's national report to the World Summit on Sustainable Development is now available for public review. Your comments on the draft are welcome, and the deadline for submission is January 9, 2002. To read the report and speak your mind, click here.

The Top Ten Canadian Weather Stories for 2001

A nation-wide drought -- more extensive than the multi-billion dollar drought on the Prairies in 1988 -- was the number one weather story in 2001 and one of the year's top news stories. Other top weather stories included the long snowy winter in the East, a hot sultry summer over most of Canada and a record number of smog advisories. For the full review from Environment Canada, click here.

Study regional resilience and adaptation in Fairbanks

The University of Alaska Fairbanks offers a graduate training program in Regional Resilience and Adaptation to train scholars, policy makers, and managers to address issues of regional sustainability in an integrated fashion. Target date for applications is February 1, 2002. To find out more about the program, click here.

Government of Canada steps up action on climate change

The federal government recently launched a new series of initiatives aimed at helping meet Canada's Kyoto Protocol commitments. If successful, by 2010 our greenhouse gas emissions will have been reduced by over 20 megatonnes. For all the details, click here.

International Children's Conference on the Environment

In May 2002, Victoria, B.C., will host the International Children's Conference on the Environment, in cooperation with the United Nations Environment Programme. If you are aged 10-12 and are active in environmental issues, you can become one of 800 delegates from over 115 countries who will attend the conference. Send in your application form by January 15, 2002. To learn more, click here.

Encyclopedia of Global Environmental Change

The Encyclopedia of Global Environmental Change has just been announced. Its five volumes are the first major reference work covering the area of global change, and contain comprehensive information for specialist and non-specialist alike. To find out more, click here.

Congratulations, racers!

The team

A great way to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions is to leave the car at home and cycle more. In keeping with that, the NCE proudly sponsored a team in the recent Kluane-Chilkat International Bike Relay between Haines Junction, Yukon and Haines, Alaska. We'd like to congratulate them for finishing 11th out of 16 teams in their division. For more information on the race, click here.

Earth Summit 2002 -- Notes from Roundtable Discussions

Back in October the Earth Summit 2002 Canadian Secretariat came to Whitehorse and Yellowknife to conduct roundtable discussions to gather Canadians' views on priorities for the summit. Notes, key messages and participant lists from these discussions are now available. If you misssed these meetings you can still participate in online consultations by clicking here.

C-CIARN North up and running

C-CIARN North is part of a national network of researchers and stakeholders examining issues related to climate change impacts and adaptation, and will be officially launched in the new year. C-CIARN North, itself, links researchers and stakeholders in the three northern territories of Canada -- Nunavut, the Northwest Territories, and Yukon. The Northern Climate ExChange hosts C-CIARN North as well as serving clients in the Yukon. C-CIARN North also has coordinators in Nunavut and the Northwest Territories. To take a look, click here.

Northern Climate Change Schools Program -- site renovated

We've dug out the hammers and paint (well, not quite) and built a new internet home for the Northern Climate Change Schools Program. Come and take a look around by clicking here.

Upcoming presentations in Dawson City and Whitehorse

On December 6 you're invited to the Beringia Centre in Whitehorse to attend "Climate Change: Predicting and Preparing". Dr. Francis Zwiers from the Meteorological Service of Canada and Dr. Don Lemmen of Natural Resources Canada will give presentations. It all starts at 7:30 p.m. and refreshments will be served. To find out more, click here.

The Tr'ondëk Hwëch'in Heritage Hall in Dawson City will host a pair of presentations on December 7. From 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. Sue Olsen of the Yukon Conservation Society will present "Forest Stewardship Certification in the Yukon: Links to Climate Change". Then from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. join Dr. Francis Zwiers and Dr. Don Lemmen for "Climate Change: Science and Community Perspectives". For more info, click here.

ONLINE WORKSHOP -- Sea Ice: Effects of sea ice changes on coastal communities

How is sea ice is changing and why? How do coastal communities interact with sea ice? What kinds of changes are already occurring in those communities as a result of changing sea ice conditions? In this web-based workshop, taking place December 3-7, 2001, we'll look at the ways in which changes in sea ice affect Arctic coastal communities. To join in, click here.

Earth Summit 2002 -- cross-country roundtable discussions

In September 2002, heads of State will gather in Johannesburg, South Africa for the World Summit on Sustainable Development. The Summit will review progress the international community has made since the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, and will chart a course for implementing sustainable development principles globally in the coming decade. In order to coordinate Canada's preparations for the Summit, the Earth Summit 2002 Canadian Secretariat has recently been created. Individuals are invited to participate in on-line consultations on the Canadian web site, that features discussion forums on Canada's five themes, on the substance of Canada's National Report, and on the establishment of Canadian priorities for the Summit. To take part, click here.

New formula for calculating windchill

So just how cold does it feel out there? Thanks to Environment Canada, we've now got a much more accurate, understandable, and relevant way to calculate windchill. To learn what's new, click here.

Energy efficiency: Yukon & Quebec lead the way

The Canadian Energy Efficiency Alliance has just released their 3rd annual National Report Card on Energy Efficiency, with the governments of Yukon and Quebec earning the highest marks for their efforts. To read the report card, click here. Note: you'll need Adobe Acrobat Reader to view it.

ONLINE WORKSHOP -- The Location of the Arctic Treeline and Its Implications for Humans

"What will determine the location of the Arctic treeline in 2100, and what will its location mean for humans?" In this web-based workshop, taking place November 26-30, 2001, we welcome a wide-ranging discussion with the goal of identifying key research opportunities and priorities. More...

COP 7:

October 29-November 9,
Marrakesh, Morocco

Success!

Early Saturday morning in Marrakesh, bleary-eyed negotiators announced that they had finally come to an agreement on how to implement the Kyoto Protocol.

COP 7

GIS Seminar -- Iqaluit

GeoArctic is hosting a half-day seminar in Iqaluit on November 22, 2001 that will focus on GIS, internet applications, and geospatial information management. For all the details, click here.

Upcoming conference -- climate change & Arctic sovereignty and security

On January 25-26, 2002, the Canadian Arctic Resource Committee and the Centre for Military and Strategic Studies at the University of Calgary will host a two-day conference in Ottawa titled "On Thinning Ice: Climate Change and New Ideas about Sovereignty and Security in the Canadian Arctic". To find out more, click here.

NCE Annual Report 2000-2001

Get the complete picture of the NCE's first year of operations in the Annual Report. You'll find out who we are, what we've been up to, and what the NCE is planning in the future. You'll have to have Adobe Acrobat Reader to view it. To read the report, click here.

CBC Radio documentary: On thin ice

The Western Arctic is getting warmer and wetter just as scientists predicted. Is this the tip of a melting iceberg? People close to the land wonder what this change in climate could mean to their very survival. Click here to listen to the full documentary.

EMAN-North Annual Meeting

The annual meeting of the Northern Ecological Monitoring and Assessment Network (EMAN-North) is coming up on November 6-8, 2001 in Yellowknife, NWT. For more info, click here.

NCE job opportunity

We're hiring! The NCE is looking for a communications officer, who will be responsible for the day-to-day operations of the Yukon PEO (Public Education and Outreach) Hub program. The application deadline is October 30, 2001. For all the details, click here.

Energy Insight Special Report: Attacks to throw world energy in turmoil

The terrorist onslaught unleashed upon the United States Tuesday will have profound repercussions for both short-term and long-term energy supply. To take a look at the full report, click here. P.S.: This report is a PDF file so you'll need Adobe Acrobat Reader to read it.

Enviro-physicians seeking partnerships

Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment (CAPE) are interested in partnering with one or more organizations on a project that would appeal to the interest of children and adolescents. For more information, contact David Rosen at (905) 277-8834, or click here.

Sustainable energy options: wood-residue, wind and solar

Join Andrew Pape-Salmon from the Pembina Institute to learn about sustainable energy options for the North. He'll be in Haines Junction on October 2 -- come tour the new solar heating facilities at the community swimming pool at 6:30 p.m., then hear a presentation on alternative energy options at the Convention Centre at 7:30 p.m. On October 3 he'll come to Whitehorse to deliver his presentation at the Beringia Centre at 7:30 p.m.

Andrew Pape-Salmon is the director of the Community Eco-Solutions Program at the Pembina Institute. He is actively involved in implementing sustainable energy opportunities in First Nations Communities in the Yukon, British Columbia and Alberta. His key focus is on low-impact renewable energy technologies.

For more information contact Pascale at (867) 634-7207. These events are presented by the Yukon Science Institute, Alsek Renewable Resource Council and Kluane National Park, and are free and open to all. Coffee and tea will be served. Hope to see you there!

Red Cross accepting donations

If you're interested in making a financial contribution to help with the aftermath of the U.S. tragedy, the Red Cross is accepting donations at 1-800-418-1111.

CANCELLED -- 52nd AAAS Arctic Science Conference

Due to the recent tragic events and their ripple effects on travel, the 52nd Arctic Science Conference has been cancelled. The conference had been scheduled for September 12-15, 2001 in Anchorage, Alaska.

Refunds of pre-registration will be processed shortly, and arrangements for rescheduling or conducting the conference business in another manner will be posted on the conference web site in the near future. The organizers are terribly sorry for the inconvenience this cancellation may cause. Click here to go to the conference website.

Come work at the Northern Climate ExChange!

If you'd like to spend the next few months working at the NCE, now's your chance. We're looking for a Program Officer to coordinate operations of C-CIARN's northern office, and the job runs until the end of March 2002. But don't delay -- the application deadline is September 17, 2001. For details, click here.

Mayo Workshop report

On February 19-20, 2001, the Northern Climate ExChange, Village of Mayo and the First Nation of Na-cho N'y'ak Dun hosted a workshop to discuss climate change and its impacts on the Central Yukon. To take a look at the results of this workshop, click here. P.S.: This report is a PDF file so you'll need Adobe Acrobat Reader to read it.

Climate Change in the Central Yukon report

Vickie McCoy and Chris Burn of Carleton University put together this comprehensive look at climate change in the central Yukon. It was produced in conjunction with the Mayo Workshop and is designed to help the people of this area develop a plan for managing climate change in their region. To read their findings, click here. P.S.: This report is a PDF file so you'll need Adobe Acrobat Reader to read it. As well, it's a pretty large file (3.8MB) so please be patient while it loads.

New initiatives receive funding

Two new initiatives to help northerners with future climate changes have received funding from the National Climate Change Action Fund and the Yukon government. To learn more, click here.

COP 6 -- It's a deal!

After days of grueling negotiations, negotiators from around the world have done what seemed impossible not long ago -- hammer out a deal saving and implementing the embattled Kyoto Protocol.

New NCE reports available

We've just put the finishing touches on three new reports. You can read them by clicking the links below -- they're all PDF files so you need Adobe Acrobat Reader to look at them. Alternately, you can contact us and ask that a paper copy be sent to you.

  • Exchanging Ideas on Climate Change in the Yukon details the NCE tour of Yukon communities that followed our May 2000 Workshop -- what we did, how we did it, what we found out, and how we shared what we found. More...
  • An Exploration of Potential Directions for Climate Change Policy in Northern Canada provides information, suggestions and a possible framework for developing integrated climate change policy options and implementing measures for Northern Canada. More...
  • Background Document to Climate Change Policy Options in Northern Canada is a comprehensive resource for researchers, policy analysts and government officials developing policy options and implementing programs for Northern Canada. More...

Yukon Climate Change Coordinating Committee Reports

The Yukon Climate Change Coordinating Committee has produced a trio of reports as part of the process of developing a Yukon Climate Change Action Plan. "Calculating Greenhouse Gas Emissions for the Yukon: An Inventory of Methodologies" analyzes different approaches to conducting inventories of greenhouse gas emissions and gives recommendations for the Yukon. "Taking Action on Climate Change: Working Towards a Yukon Climate Change Action Plan" looks at the various action plans that have been produced in Canada and proposes a process and outline for a Yukon Plan. "An Inventory of Yukon Climate Change Initiatives" is a comprehensive listing of the efforts currently being made in the Yukon. To read these reports, click here.

Follow the Mount Logan expedition

Scientists from around the world will gather at Mount Logan this year to retrieve ice-core samples from the mountain's glaciers. These samples will provide an archive of climate changes that have occurred in the region over the past 100 centuries. To keep tabs on their progress, click here.

Hydrocarbon Impacts database

A new resource on the internet is the Hydrocarbon Impacts database, which contains over 4000 records describing publications and research projects about the environmental impacts, socio-economic effects and regulation of oil and gas exploration, development and transportation in northern Canada. To see more, click here.

Request for Letters of Interest: Water Resources

Significant gaps in understanding of both surface water and groundwater resources and their management have been identified in scientific and stakeholder assessments, workshops and other fora. The CCAF is now soliciting Letters of Interest for research on water resources and water resource management that addresses gaps in our knowledge. To learn more, click here.

COP 6 -- Part 2

The future of the Kyoto Protocol will become a lot clearer this week, as COP 6 resumes in Bonn, Germany. 180 countries will try to prevent Kyoto from collapsing, and hammer out the details required to implement the Protocol. The consultations and sessions will take place from July 16-27. To follow the negotiations, click here.

Bush unveils U.S. Energy Policy

From a climate change standpoint, the first few months of the Bush presidency have been interesting, to say the least. That trend continues with the recent announcement of a new National Energy Policy, which spells out the direction the U.S. is about to take. To see what their plans are, click here.

Historic pipeline ownership deal delayed

Reuters, June 6, 2001: Native leaders in Canada's far north and major oil firms failed on Wednesday to reach a deal on giving aboriginal people a stake in a huge natural gas pipeline proposed for the vast region when one native group said it needed more time to study the terms. For the full story, click here.

NCE archives

The Northern Climate ExChange has been online for roughly one year now, and since the site's launch we've collected a lot of links and information -- so much so that things were starting to look a little cluttered and unwieldy around here. So, we've created an archives page. In order to keep the size of our web pages manageable (and reduce the time you have to wait for pages to load), we've begun moving older links and articles to the NCE archives. So if you're searching for a link that seems to have disappeared, don't despair -- you'll find it there. To browse the NCE archives, click here.

What's new in climate change science?

To help those of you who are scientifically inclined keep up with the countless scientific papers, books and documents being released, we've added a new page: "What's new in climate change science?" To see what's hot off the presses, click here.

COP-6 info centre becomes Kyoto info centre

COP-6 may be on hold but the Kyoto negotiations (and controversy) continue, so we've created a new Kyoto info centre. This new page will cover all aspects of the Kyoto Protocol, including COP-6. Links formerly posted on the COP-6 info centre can now be found either in the NCE archives or at the Kyoto info centre. To take a look, click here.

Site map added

This site has grown a lot since its launch, and the more information we add, the more difficult it becomes for our visitors to navigate. To help out, we've just added a site map. Check it out by clicking here.

January 2001 Climate Roundup

Did it seem a little warm in the Yukon this past January? Well, it was. To find out just how much, click here.

IPCC Third Assessment -- draft report released

An increasing body of observations gives a collective picture of a warming world and other changes in the climate system. Since the release of the Second Assessment Report, additional data from new studies of current and palaeoclimates, improved analysis of data sets, more rigorous evaluation of their quality, and comparisons among data from different sources have led to greater understanding of climate change. Note: you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader to view this publication. To view the report, click here.

Green Source

Environment Canada's Green Source is a quick reference to funding sources for environmental projects by non-profit organizations in B.C. and the Yukon. Note: you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader to view this publication. To check it out, click here.

Similar reference guides have been prepared for all locations across Canada:

Canadian Public Health Association Survey Results

The Canadian Public Health Association has just released the results of their survey on the health effects of climate change and air pollution. To see what they found, click here.

Environment Canada's Envirozine

Environment Canada recently launched a new weekly online magazine called Envirozine. To see what's happening in Canada's environment this week, click here.

Interactive Arctic Environmental Atlas

A new interactive Arctic Environmental Atlas has been developed by UNEP/GRID-Arendal in Norway, a United Nations Environment Programme information centre. Environmental information on the Arctic region is presented in the interactive map on the Internet. To take a look, click here.

Arctic Science Summit Week

The Third Annual Arctic Science Summit Week is being held in Iqaluit, Nunavut, April 22-27, 2000. The purpose of the summit is to provide a focus for opportunities for coordination, collaboration and cooperation in all areas of arctic science, and to combine science and management meetings to save on travel and time. Click here to learn more.

September Workshop proceedings

We've just finished writing up the proceedings of our September workshop, "A Northern Assessment of the Impacts of Climate Change: Defining our knowledge base and research priorities". To read more, click here.

Climate change increasing ozone loss in the Arctic stratosphere

Climate change may enhance the frequency and depth of severe stratospheric ozone loss in the Arctic and could delay the recovery of the Arctic ozone layer by a decade or more, according to an Environment Canada report that reviews recent science on the issue. To read more, click here.

Youth Essay Contest

The Canadian Polar Commission is inviting submissions for their second annual climate change essay contest. The contest is open to all students, Grades 9-12 enrolled in Yukon secondary schools. Essays must address the effects of climate change on any aspect of the Yukon environment such as vegetation, lakes and rivers, wildlife, insects, and humans. Deadline for entries is March 15, 2001. For more details, click here.

Energy efficiency information

The Yukon Department of Economic Development has pulled together a comprehensive list of programs and services to help you reduce your energy usage. To check it out, click here.

Government of Canada Action Plan 2000 on Climate Change

The Federal Government recently released this document, which spells out how Canada will begin to achieve its commitments under the Kyoto agreement. Click here to read the full plan (note that you will require Adobe Acrobat Reader to view it).

Yellowknife CCAF Workshop Final Report now available

The final report on the "Workshop on Climate Change Impacts and Adaptation Strategies in Canada's Northern Territories" is now available on the Internet. The workshop took place in Yellowknife in February 2000. You can read summaries of the workshop by clicking here. You can also download your own copy of the full report (as a Word document) there, but be warned that it's a 3.5MB file and the download may take a while.

Yukon receives top marks

The Yukon Government has been ranked #1 in Canada when it comes to reducing energy consumption, according to the Canadian Energy Efficiency Alliance. Click here to read the complete report card.