Northern Climate ExChange

Workshops

Community-based Adaptation Planning Workshop -- Atlin, British Columbia

Preparing for Change -- Managing Climate Change Risks in the Atlin Area

Through funding from Indian and Northern Affairs' Aboriginal and Northern Affairs Community Adaptation Program (ANCAP), the Northern Climate ExChange held a week-long adaptation planning exercise in Atlin, British Columbia. During the last week of March 2007, three stakeholder working groups, with over 50 participants, met to discuss climate change issues affecting land-based occupations and traditions, local economy, and infrastructure and planning. Under each of these headings, the working groups discussed: the observed impacts of climate change in Atlin, the vulnerability of the community to changes, the community's capacity to deal with these changes or its "adaptive capacity", and what tools and existing frameworks already exist or are needed to cope with these changes.

The weekend workshop, which was open to the public, kicked off with experts presenting regional climate models for Atlin, and an introduction to the concept of "mainstreaming climate change", followed by presentations from the stakeholder working groups. The workshop attendees were asked to provide any additional information that they felt was missing from the stakeholder group work and to identify actions or tools for increasing the community's adaptive capacity as well as any barriers to these actions.

The success of this project can be attributed to the high participation rate of community members over the course of the week.

Rapid Landscape Change Conference

NEW! 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.

The Rapid Landscape Change Conference was held June 15-17, 2005, in Whitehorse. The 3-day meeting 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. It sought insights from past landscape changes and the way ancient peoples responded that might be useful for today's changing environments.

Climate Change in Our Backyard

This workshop was a partnership with the Champagne & Aishihik First Nations, the Alsek Renewable Resource Council, the Council of Yukon First Nations, and Yukon Forestry. Climate Change in Our Backyard was held in Haines Junction, Yukon from March 30-April 2, 2006. The workshop raised understanding of global and local climate change issues as well as measures to mitigate and adapt to the change. Local people gathered with experts to exchange views, experiences, and concerns about the changes occurring in the Champagne & Aishihik Traditional Territory. The local, traditional and scientific knowledge bases were combined to inform the Strategic Forest Management Planning Process.

C-CIARN North Online Workshops

C-CIARN North has conducted 3 online workshops, bringing together interested parties from across Canada and beyond in a virtual forum.

  1. Climate Change and Infrastructure (January 8-9, 2003)
  2. Climate Change and Resource Development (February 5-10, 2003)
  3. Managing Wildlife and Habitat in a Changing Climate (February 16-20, 2004)
  4. Climate Change and Environmental Assessment (January 24-28, 2005)

Circumpolar Climate Change Summit and Exposition

On March 19-21, 2001, the Northern Climate ExChange hosted a summit and exposition to share circumpolar climate change knowledge with community representatives, researchers, experts and business leaders on climate change.

Central Yukon Climate Change Workshop

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. The results of this workshop are summarized in this report.

September 2000 Workshop: A Northern Assessment of the Impacts of Climate Change

On September 20th and 21st, 2000, the Northern Climate ExChange hosted a workshop, "A Northern Assessment of the Impacts of Climate Change". It was designed to provide researchers, First Nations, and communities with sound baseline information on what is known about climate change and its effects on northern Canada.

May 2000 Workshop: Taking Action on Climate Change in the Yukon

On May 15-17, 2000, the Northern Climate ExChange hosted a workshop and public information session called "Taking Action on Climate Change in the Yukon". The purpose of the workshop was to involve First Nations, communities, industy, scientists, educators and government in developing a vision to deal with climate change in the Yukon.