2025-2029 Draft Climate Change Action Plan
Consultation has concluded
Have Your Say
Download and read the DRAFT Action Plan along with the supporting documents and have your say on the NWT's climate future through to the year 2029. Feedback can be provided in several ways:
Online using the tools on this platform:
- Provide your thoughts on seven different climate change topics in the open-ended survey forum.
- Submit a long-form response about how the NWT’s climate future should look.
By email
By mail
Government of the Northwest Territories
P.O. Box 1320
Yellowknife, NT
X1A 2L9
Background
The world has changed since the GNWT launched the Climate Change Strategic Framework in 2018 and the NWT needs to update its plan to continue to take action on climate change.
The 2030 NWT Climate Change Strategic Framework (CCSF) sets a Vision “by 2030, the NWT will enjoy a strong, healthy economy that is less dependent on fossil fuels (compared to 2005) and will have developed the knowledge, tools and measures needed to increase resilience and adapt to the changing northern climate”. To achieve the Vision, the CCSF identifies three climate change goals:
- Transition to a strong, healthy economy that uses less fossil fuel, thereby reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 30% below 2005 levels by 2030.
- Improve knowledge of the climate change impacts occurring in the NWT; and
- Build resilience and adapt to a changing climate.
The Framework, 2030 Energy Strategy, and the NWT approach to carbon pricing are three interconnected policy measures that together contribute to Goal 1. The Energy Strategy, through its associated Action Plan, focuses on energy-specific actions including energy efficiency, electricity generation in diesel-dependent communities, renewable energy for community heating, and energy used for transportation and industry. The NWT Climate Change Action Plan, separate from the Energy Action Plan, captures the remaining mitigation approaches , such as mitigation in new resource development projects, carbon offsets, carbon-dioxide removal, and landfill and sewage lagoon emissions.
To implement the Climate Change Strategic Framework after its release in 2018, the GNWT developed and implemented the 2019-2023 CCSF Action Plan which specified that “in early 2024, a formal review of the Framework and the Action Plan will be conducted to assess the progress made towards the Vision and goals. The findings from the review, along with emerging issues, new technologies and new opportunities, will be used to consider potential revisions to the Framework and support the development of the 2025-2029 CCSF Action Plan (Action Plan).”
The current draft of the 2025-2029 CCSF Action Plan has been informed by:
- The NWT Climate Change Risks and Opportunities Assessment;
- An Independent Evaluation of the CCSF and 2019-2023 Action Plan;
- A ‘What We Heard’ Report from the July 2023 Climate and Energy Engagement;
- Early engagement with Indigenous governments and Indigenous organizations through the NWT Climate Change Council; and
- Engagement across all departments of the GNWT.
Now, the draft Action Plan is ready for public review and feedback, as well as targeted engagement activities through the Fall of 2024. Please, have your say today and help inform future GNWT-led actions to adapt to the challenges of our changing climate.
Next Steps
The GNWT will use the feedback it receives to modify the draft 2025-2029 NWT Climate Change Action Plan. The updated Action Plan will be released in early 2025.
A What We Heard Report will be published in early 2025, summarizing feedback on the Action Plan the GNWT receives through public and targeted engagement.
