The Government of the Northwest Territories has updated the public on the progress made on several different climate initiatives.
Starting with investment, The GNWT says approximately $55.6 million was spent from April 1st, 2020 to March 31st of this year to help address climate change, including five new climate change-related positions across five departments in government itself.
The NWT Climate Change Council was established earlier this year, as a forum for information sharing, collaboration, and engagement between Indigenous governments and Indigenous organizations, communities, and the GNWT. Projects such as the Inuvik Wind Project moved into the final design phase, with construction on the 3.5-megawatt wind turbine, small battery storage system, access road, and distribution line set to begin next year.
Minister of Environment and Natural Resources Shane Thompson says climate change is the most critical challenge the territories faces
“We continue to work with our partners to mitigate and adapt to climate change and increase resilience in NWT communities,” he adds.
According to the GNWT, the average surface temperature in the Northwest Territories has risen by about two degrees since the 1940s, more than twice the worldwide average increase.
