SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - Going to next week's international climate change conference in Cancun, Mexico would be a waste of time based on last year's experience in Copenhagen and that's why no MLAs are going this year, says Environment Minister Michael Miltenberger.

Only one GNWT employee, Ray Case, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources' director of environment, is heading to the Nov. 29 to Dec. 10 United Nations COP 16 climate change conference in Cancun. Last year's conference in Copenhagen, Denmark was attended by five MLAs and two government employees at a cost of $55,000. Another GNWT employee's way was covered by the federal government, bringing the total GNWT contingent to eight in Copenhagen.

"We went last year because COP 15 was thought to be a major seminal event in dealing with global warming and climate change. Enormous expectations were built up, over 10,000 people showed up and at the end of the day it turned out to be considerably less than was billed," said Miltenberger.

"All that was cobbled together was a loose, short, quick and dirty agreement to keep working, but no targets, nor real agreements."

While Miltenberger won't be headed south, the territorial government's greenhouse gas emissions apparently have. Some $60 million has been spent on climate-friendly initiatives over the life of the current government, including wood pellet boilers (10 installed so far) and energy-saving renovations to government buildings, engineering work to judge the feasibility of small hydro projects in Lutsel K'e and Whati and feasibility work on building three 100 kilowatt wind turbines near Tuktoyaktuk. Reports on the latter two projects have not yet been completed.

The GNWT is on track to meet its 2007-2011 Greenhouse Gas Strategy commitment to reduce its emissions to 10 per cent below 2006 levels, according to Jim Sparling, the manager of climate change programs for ENR.

However, he admitted that government doesn't have baseline data for all its emissions from vehicles and buildings.

The GNWT is directly responsible for only a small portion of the approximately 1,500 kilotonnes of greenhouse gases produced annually across the entire territory each year, he said.

"That seems to have remained fairly stable since 2001," Sparling said of the GNWT's portion of emissions.

With 2011 just months away, the government is working on a new plan with targets that include industrial and personal greenhouse gas reductions. The goal is to bring the new plan forward for the legislature's May sitting.

"We currently have the authority to set standards and targets, which is why we're in the discussion and debate with business, industry and communities across the North to come up with a revised strategy," said Miltenberger.

We welcome your opinions. Click here to e-mail a letter to the editor.