During a recent visit to Alaska, US President Barack Obama announced a range of initiatives meant to address energy and climate issues in remote Alaskan communities. The cost of energy in this state and the disproportionate impacts of global warming, make the climate crisis more pronounced here than in the lower 48. Alaskans pay the third highest rates for electricity, after Hawaii and New York, with many communities reliant on GHG intense and expensive diesel generation. Obama’s funding announcement is meant to ease the transition towards renewables, providing more affordable energy while mitigating climate change.
In Northern Canada too, the climate crisis is more apparent than it is down south, both in terms of the impacts of global warming and the cost of energy. Thankfully, governments are stepping up to address energy affordability and efficiency in Canada’s territories. A recent report from Quality Urban Energy System of Tomorrow and the Community Energy Association highlights the Yukon’s Good Energy program, which supports home energy retrofits, super energy efficient new homes and the installation of renewable energy systems. The same report shows that over half of the communities in the North West Territories have developed community energy plans, addressing climate change mitigation and strategic energy development.