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NUNAVUT
Inuit leaders say they are disappointed with a U.S. proposal to list polar bears as a species threatened with extinction.

The American government has submitted a proposal to uplist or transfer polar bears to Appendix I from Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). Animals and plants listed under Appendix II are those at risk with extinction if trade is not closely controlled. Those listed in Appendix I are considered the endangered and at immediate threat of extinction. International trade is prohibited for those animals and plants.

The proposal will be voted on by 176 countries during the 16th Conference of the Parties in Thailand next March. The Americans had tried to uplist polar bears in 2010, a proposal the international community defeated as it understood polar bear trade was not a threat to the animal's survival.

Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. (NTI) vice-president James Eetoolook stated in an Oct. 5 news release that the Inuit land claim organization is disappointed with the U.S. government proposal and does not support it.

"The American government is using the threat of climate change to justify banning the international trade of polar bear parts while utterly failing to do anything to reduce their own activities that make their country one of the world's largest contributors to climate change," stated Eetoolook. "The proposal threatens and undermines the polar bear management system that has been in place in Canada for the last 40 years."

NTI, Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, the Inuvialuit Game Council as well as territorial and federal government officials travelled to Washington, D.C. last month to lobby the American Congress and Senate, according to an NTI press release. It adds they wanted to educate U.S. politicians on the health of the Canadian polar bear populations and show how Inuit harvesting practices are sustainable.

ITK president Terry Audla also expressed his disappointment with the U.S. proposal.

"It is disingenuous of the United States to be using the polar bear to address the issue of climate change," he stated. "This is an example of endangering a true cause - climate change - with bad science."

The proposal met strong opposition with the territory's Department of Environment, as indicated in a letter dated June 6. Deputy minister David Akeeagok stated the uplisting is based on "perceived impacts of trade and climate change." He noted demand for polar bear parts and international trade does not factor in decisions on harvest levels in this country. The territorial government "strongly oppose(s)" the American's uplisting proposal.

"The benefits to polar bears and their habitat would be minimal while the negative impacts to Inuit and Nunavut's adaptive co-management system would be significant," stated Akeeagok.

Further in the letter, he explains some negative impacts include financial losses from fewer wildlife sport hunts and an decrease opportunity to practice traditional harvesting with dog teams.

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