Dez Loreen
Northern News Services

Inuvik (Nov 28/05) - Researchers from the Inuvik region are travelling to Montreal this week for a conference on climate change.

Sponsored by the United Nations, the conference is the first meeting of countries under the Kyoto protocol since it came into effect in February 2005.

Steven Baryluk of the Joint Secretariat will attend the conference and act as support for the other delegates from the region. He says it's important for people of the North to stay active in any climate change affairs. "We're the first ones to feel the impacts of climate change," said Baryluk.

Baryluk is joined by fellow researcher Candice Cockney.

Cockney has been working under the Fisheries Joint Management Committee as a mentoring student. Cockney hopes to find out more about the other circumpolar regions, and their concerns at the conference.

Climate problems like coastal erosion, and melting permafrost are high on Baryluk's list of issues.

"The land is changing constantly," said Baryluk.

People on the land have also been noticing changes in their travelling patterns, said Baryluk.