INUVIK - Ten years after the GNWT legislated its first Greenhouse Gas Strategy, it has started to review the plan with help from the public.

The environmental protection division of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (ENR) held a public meeting in Inuvik on April 19 to hear comments and suggest actions on how to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the NWT.

Only four community members showed up to the meeting, which highlighted one of the concerns that the government needs to advertise this strategy, its goals and ideas more forcefully.

"(The government) needs to give information and suggestions and support on how to change," said Laura Evans, a resident of Inuvik, at the event. "People need to be afraid. Look at the H1N1 epidemic as an example. A lot of people took the vaccine because it was advertised as a precautionary measure."

Inuvik has warmed the fastest of all the communities in the territory, with annual temperature averages having increased by 2.7 C since 1958. That is four to five times faster than the rest of the planet, with global temperatures increasing by 0.5 C in the same amount of time, according to data presented by the GNWT.

This change in climate will have a number of impacts on the territory including shorter winter road seasons, melting permafrost damage to infrastructure such as roads, buildings, runways, water and sewer systems, invasive plants and animals moving north and changing water levels which affect barge and ferry operations, according to the presentation.

"In the NWT, we feel the strongest impact of climate change in the world and have seen changes in seasonal patterns," said Jim Sparling, manger of climate change programs for ENR. "It can be measured here by what you see in the permafrost. The farther North you go, the greater the change."

Since the GNWT first instituted the strategy in 2001, much has changed in terms of climate change awareness. In 2001, the strategy acted as a precautionary measure to prevent climate change. In 2011, the GNWT admits that change has already happened and it needs to take action to reduce further changes.

Despite only making up 0.3 per cent of Canada's emissions, the GNWT would like input from the public on how to reduce territorial emissions.

Questions posed to the public include whether the GNWT should set sector-specific targets rather than NWT-wide targets; whether the GNWT should research carbon tax or carbon offset options; and what is the best way to ensure new homes, buildings and appliances meet energy standards.

People interested in providing input can contact the Department of Environment before the middle of May.

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