Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to follow up from my statement earlier today with questions for the Minister of the Environment. I’d like to ask the Minister if he does indeed agree with the science that has overwhelmingly been stated by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, that global emission must be reduced by at least 25 to 40 percent by 2020 from the levels in 1990. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Bromley. Mr. Miltenberger.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The science as it pertains to climate change is not under dispute or question by the government. Thank you.
Thank you. I appreciate that response. Still, given that and given that we are one of the richest countries in the world – and indeed on average one of the richest regions in Canada – how can this government justify doubling our greenhouse gas emissions from 1990 levels or 66 percent from 2005, 66 percent-plus, when we need to reduce by 25 to 40 percent by 2020? How can we justify that and expect other partner jurisdictions around the world to reduce their emissions when they’re in a much poorer and more strident state? Mahsi.
Thank you. What we as a territorial government can justify is the $60 million that we’ve put into alternative energy, the work we’ve done with our Greenhouse Gas Strategy, the work we’ve done in the areas of biomass, wind, geothermal, hydro, the work that we will have done and will continue to do in those areas. The construction standards, the attempts to look at efficiencies across the North. So we are a northern jurisdiction and we recognize we have a heavy reliance on fossil fuels, but we are doing things that I think are very progressive and I have no trouble speaking to those. Thank you.
Thank you. Again, given what we know and given what’s required, will the Minister commit to developing a firm track of actions to achieve the necessary 25 percent or greater reductions from 1990 levels in our emissions by 2020? Mahsi.
This government intends to follow through on the work that’s been laid out in a recently concluded Greenhouse Gas Strategy, and the path laid out in that strategy to look at how we will set targets and meet our obligations as a territory within Canada, of course, and as inhabitants of planet earth. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Final, short supplementary, Mr. Bromley.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I did note the Premier’s statement today that we must be responsible stewards of our environment so our land and water can continue to sustain future generations. Indeed, it’s future generations that we’re talking about here.
This morning in Durban, the Canadian youth delegation was kicked out of the talks because of their civil disobedience. The Canadian Youth Coalition, of course, includes some residents of the Northwest Territories that I’m very proud of. They stood up during the talks, turned around and on the backs of their sweatshirts or T-shirts were the words “Turn your backs on Canada.” I have to ask why would they go to such extremes. It’s simply because these are the people that we are making policies for. These are the people that will be dealing with all of the impacts, et cetera, of such policies. So I would like to ask, because they are the ones who will suffer the consequences of our policies and actions, what words does the Minister have to explain our policies, which essentially amount to a crime against humanity, given our understanding of the science, as the Minister has stated today. Mahsi.
Thank you. It appears we’re going to take up where we left off in the 16th Assembly.
I totally disagree and reputed the Member’s allegation that somehow this government, this Assembly is engaged in crimes against humanity. We are doing an enormous amount of good work, not up to the Member’s standards maybe, but very, very progressive work as it pertains to water, as it pertains to mitigation adaptation to climate change, putting significant amounts of money to that, and to put us in the same category as Gbagbo and some of these folks from Serbia and other folks that have been charged over the years, Nazis and stuff with crimes against humanity is I think to me unacceptable and does nothing to help us carry on a respectful dialogue on the best way forward. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. The Member for Sahtu, Mr. Yakeleya.
