Circumpolar Climate Change Summit
 |
Whitehorse Declaration on Northern Climate Change |
Whereas we recognize that residents of the Circumpolar North are witnessing disturbing and severe climatic and ecological changes; and
Whereas we recognize that this interdisciplinary issue requires an unprecedented level of collaboration by all nations and all sectors of their societies; and
Whereas we recognize that Northern residents need to take stronger measures to reduce their own greenhouse gas emissions, and we also recognize that, regardless of the success of these measures, the Circumpolar North will remain highly reliant upon global actions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions;
Therefore, we the undersigned participants at the Circumpolar Climate Change Summit, held in Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada, on March 19th to 21st, 2001, declare that the following actions need to be taken to address climate change and its impacts in the Circumpolar North:
- We must develop a strong northern message on the effects of climate change and present this message nationally and internationally;
- We must use local information and improve our scientific capacity to understand climate change impacts on northern ecosystems, economies, cultures, traditions and communities;
- We must develop tools that will enable communities to better understand climate change, reduce their greenhouse gas emissions, and adapt to changing climatic and environmental conditions;
- We must ensure that all new and existing policies, standards, regulations, legislation, and management agreements become consistent with the goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions and our vulnerability to climate change;
- We must establish effective incentives and remove the many barriers to improved energy efficiency and the widespread use of renewable energy; and
- We must ensure that all institutions, businesses, governments, families and individuals take far stronger measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.