May 2000 Workshop:
Taking Action on Climate Change in the Yukon
Introductory Comments
Doug Urquhart
Workshop Chair
Quill Consulting Inc.
"Everybody talks about the weather,
but nobody does anything about it."
- Mark Twain
Mark Twain's comment was humorous in the 19th century because back then society believed that it was powerless where weather was concerned: powerless to predict -- powerless to intervene.
Times have changed. We now believe we have some capacity to predict how the climate will change in the future. We are also aware that human activities will significantly influence such changes.
What to do? This was the theme of the Northern Climate ExChange Workshop that was based on the premise that we can and will do something. This sounds naively simple but it is a premise that must be clutched firmly with both hands because the technology that brought us to this point is also the technology that distracts us from accomplishing anything more than dithering.
Recognizing this problem with science back in 1937, Emerson said, "All things have two handles: beware of the wrong one". The Climate ExChange Workshop took great pains to keep from grasping the wrong handle by focussing on the relevance of climate change to the Yukon public and the north in general and then deriving 'useful' approaches to address those needs. For example, information about trends in spring flooding and summer water levels is of profound importance to northerners for secure communities, efficient transportation and hydropower. So too is information on permafrost depths for construction, town planning and wildlife conservation.
Fortunately, the workshop participants were well aware of the pitfalls of climate change discussions and, consequently, we were able to provide sound advice both for viable climate change projects in the north and realistic roles for the Northern Climate ExChange program.
There is much to do. The Northern Climate ExChange program faces an awesome challenge in paring down the myriad of public and professional expectations and requests to a useful work plan. The best test of its effectiveness will not be with governments or academics or other professionals but with northern communities. If, during community planning discussions someone says, "We need to contact the Climate ExChange about that. They'll help us!" they are doing their job. I think this workshop has set them on that path and I wish them every success in the future.
The Northern Climate ExChange may run into a number of pitfalls durings its first year of operations that the staff should be mindful of...
...they may become overwhelmed by enormous amounts of data...
...they may become swamped by paperwork...
...they may spend too much time in their office and not spend enough time in the communities...
...they may put too much faith in the information provided by computer models...
...with the help of its supporters, we hope the Northern Climate ExChange will rise above and beyond these pitfalls to successfully work in partnership with northerners to address the many challenges posed by climate change.
Illustrations courtesy of Doug Urquhart