Dawn Ostrem
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Oct 27/00) - Global warming was a hot topic in Yellowknife over the weekend.

A public forum, organized by Ecology North offered Yellowknifers videos, displays, skits, artwork and discussion about the effects global warming is having North of 60.

"We wanted to show people that all the resources they need to find out about climate change are available locally," said Bob Bromley, executive director of Ecology North.

"And to demonstrate how great an issue this is and everyone needs to know about it, it will affect them."

Specifically, climate change is affecting the location of permafrost in the North, Bromley said. It's creeping further north and away from Yellowknife.

"A lot of buildings will shift and we're going to have big problems."

He added that permafrost is moving further North and we will likely see a significant change here within 20 years. Yellowknife is estimated to become outside the zone of permafrost in 50 years time.

People who attended the forum, held at the Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre, were encouraged to write down their observations of local climate change.

Shorter, warmer winters, fewer bugs, west coast-like dreary falls and new species of insects were documented.

"We don't think the weather has ever changed this fast before in human history," Bromley said.

"So animals are not adapted for that. We're seeing new combinations of animals and plants and we'll lose many species in the process."

The climate change public forum was the first of its kind in Yellowknife.

Bromley said the purpose of increasing consciousness among Yellowknifers is needed. The group interested in environmental concerns here is very active but very small, he said.

Bromley did note a large number of mothers and children at the forum. "It's to provide information so we can adapt for the inevitable and stop a greater impact," he said.