The Workshop on Climate Change Impacts and Adaptation Strategies in Canada's Northern Territories took place in Yellowknife in February 2000, after a proposal to the Government of Canada's Climate Change Action Fund (CCAF) was approved in August 1999. The overall goal of the workshop was to gain an understanding of the data and research required for developing appropriate adaptations to climate change, depending on the responsibilities of affected sectors and the quality of climate change forecasting available. Lead agencies, Natural Resources Canada and Environment Canada, were assisted by staff of Indian & Northern Affairs Canada, Fisheries & Oceans Canada, the Government of the NWT, and representatives from Yukon College and Nunavut Arctic College (on behalf of Yukon and Nunavut governments). Several agencies sponsored lunches or chaired parts of the workshop and the Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre donated use of their auditorium for an evening public session on climate change.

Over 130 participants from federal and territorial governments, municipalities, land claim and hunter/trapper organizations, universities and northern colleges, private sector companies and consultants, and environmental groups came together in Yellowknife from across Canada for three days. They heard presentations on results of climate change science and impact studies, voiced their own observations on climate change and concerns about impacts, and discussed what can be done to prepare for and adapt to further change. Scientists described what is known and unknown about climate change, what monitoring programs and research are showing has already occurred, and what projections of further change are. Aboriginal participants described changes observed by elders about weather, the environment, and wildlife, particularly over the past 20-30 years. They indicated that these changes are cause for great concern for those still living a subsistence lifestyle, as well as by people who want to ensure that this lifestyle option is preserved for future generations. Representatives of environmental groups expressed their view that unrestrained development, overuse of renewable resources, and the extremes of a consumer-based society are needlessly jeopardizing the environment. These participants also claimed that little commitment or concrete action has been taken by government to change this destructive lifestyle and path to an increasingly uncertain future.

Resource managers and private sector participants described how climate change is affecting current activities (management of wildlife populations and forest fires, transportation of construction materials and other supplies to remote communities and development sites, etc.). While impacts have not been dramatic to date, concern exists that further change in climate may produce significant environmental or economic impacts.

During break-out sessions, participants discussed impacts of climate change in various sectors (Communities and Infrastructure; Water Resources and Hydrology; Coasts, Marine Resources, & Traditional Use; and Forestry, Fisheries and Wildlife), and what further information is needed to adapt to climate change. They then provided their views on the desired nature and functions of a support system for climate change adaptation, and strategies for developing a northern impacts and adaptation research network.

At the conclusion of the 3 days, workshop facilitators presented a summary of their observations. These included: a sense of urgency (for action), significant variability and uncertainty (in climate, modelling, required action, etc.), strong linkages (between researchers and stakeholders), communications and marketing (to raise public awareness and mobilize action), bottom-up (experience, involvement, and application), continuity and commitment (required over the long term), pragmatism (funding constraints, application on front lines), accountability (high stakes, serious consequences), use of existing information and infrastructure (use what already exists and works), and momentum (build on workshop success).

Options for follow-up to the workshop were also discussed. Broad support was given to striking of a multi-stakeholder group, lead by the Natural Resources Canada and Environment Canada workshop convenors. As enthusiastic as workshop participation was, attendees recognized that they were still only a fraction of the stakeholders that are and will be affected by northern climate change. It was agreed that participation by all groups involved in the workshop, as well as others not present (health, socio-economic interests, etc.) was desirable. The working group would continue work on the climate change issue and prepare a proposal to CCAF for development of a northern network to identify priorities for and coordinate northern research on climate change impacts and adaptation. In addition to its northern role and activities, this network would also act as the northern contact point with networks being proposed for other regions and sectors of the economy.