Concurrent with climate change impacts are community responses to them. Management of energy resources, with a focus on conservation and the development of renewable energy, is one way in which northern peoples are responding to climate change—the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions being the central point. Beyond climate change, dependency on oil for electricity and heat generation creates added incentive for communities to seek more sustainable modes of energy production. It is in this context that Cambridge Bay and the Canadian High Arctic Research Station are exploring energy use and greenhouse gas emissions inventorying as a tool to support energy-related planning and decision making.
Following the International Local Government Greenhouse Gas Emissions Analysis Protocol, total energy used/emissions generated in 2012 by local governments and the participating community were analyzed. Consideration was given to stationary energy (electricity and heat generation), transport, land use, and waste sectors. In Spring 2013, structured interviews were carried out with residents and commercial and government operators to determine the types of energy people depend on, how much they use, and how much it costs them; views on local energy success stories and energy concerns were also solicited. Summarized information will be presented to the community in Spring 2014 for sharing and verification purposes and final products will be produced thereafter.
Community Researcher, Patty Kamoayok, Cambridge Bay
Community Researcher, Brianne Angohiatok, Cambridge Bay
Researcher, Lisa Christensen, Yukon Research Centre, Yukon College
Researcher, Merran Smith, Yukon Research Centre, Yukon College
Researcher, Rhiannon Klein, Yukon Research Centre, Yukon College
Researcher, Paula Mowat, Yukon Research Centre, Yukon College
Research Review Committee, Fiona Buchan-Corey, Marg Epp, and Freddie Peterson, Cambridge Bay