Eleven people have been selected for the territory’s first Yukon Climate Leadership Council.

That body will provide advice to the territorial government on how to reduce the Yukon’s greenhouse gas emissions by 45 per cent compared to 2010 levels.

Its members are:

• Coral Voss, Yukon Conservation Society;

• David Silas and Kim Lisgo, Yukon University;

• Forest Pearson, Sustainable Development Advisory Council;

• Hector Campbell, Yukon Chamber of Commerce;

• Kirsten Hogan, Aperture Consulting;

• Margret Njootli, retired;

• Michael Ross, Yukon University, Industrial Research Chair in Northern Energy;

• Sean Smith, Yukon Native Language Centre;

• Sruthee Govindaraj, Youth Panel on Climate Change; and

• Steve Roddick, Resilient North Consulting.

The council will develop advice and recommendations for reaching the 45 per cent reduction target by 2030. It will share its report and recommendations publicly by July 2022, the government said Wednesday.

The 45 per cent emissions reduction target complements the actions outlined in Our Clean Future: A Yukon strategy for climate change, energy and a green economy.

The council is an element of the Confidence and Supply Agreement and reached last April by the Liberal and NDP caucuses to keep the minority government in power.

Environment Minister Nils Clarke informed the legislature about the council on Wednesday.

“Yukoners have the experience and knowledge needed to play a role in addressing climate change and reducing our emissions as a territory,” Clarke said in a statement.

“It is important that we engage and work with them to develop innovative measures that will help us reach our climate goals as communities.

“I look forward to our shared work on how we can continue to reduce greenhouse gas emissions across the Yukon.”

Fifty-four people, from a range of backgrounds and expertise areas, applied to sit on the council.

The members were chosen by the Our Clean Future policy implementation committee based on a balance of technical experience, lived experience and traditional knowledge.

“The Yukon is seeing first-hand significant climate and ecological change,” said Energy, Mines and Resources Minister John Streicker.

“There is an urgent need to take actions to shift our energy economy and build our resiliency to the climate crisis.

“Members of the Yukon Climate Leadership Council will play a critical role in enhancing our climate action plan,” Streicker added.

“I thank them for stepping up and contributing to our collective efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions across the territory.”

The Yukon’s greenhouse gas emissions reduction target was increased from 30 per cent to 45 per cent last April as part of the NDP-Liberal agreement.

In 2010, the Yukon’s emissions were 611 kilotonnes.

In the most recent emissions report, the territory’s greenhouse gas emissions in 2019, excluding mining emissions, were 721 kilotonnes.

“Yukoners know that strong action needs to be taken to address the climate emergency we are facing,” said Emily Tredger, the NDP MLA for Whitehorse Centre.

“The members of this new Yukon Climate Leadership Council have a big task ahead of them – and I know they’re up to the challenge.

“We look forward to reading their recommendations for achieving our emission targets and protecting the future of the Yukon.”