Emissions per person are down, new Yukon climate report shows, but mining emissions still needs target

The Yukon government says it's on its way to making its 2030 environment goals and 2050 goals, but it has work ahead to make it a reality.

That includes setting an emissions reduction target for the mining industry. Those emissions were left out of the environment report for 2021 released on Monday.

In the report, the territory boasts a few accomplishments, from a drop in greenhouse gas emissions per capita to more electric vehicles on the roads and the removal of plastic bags from circulation in the territory.

"We see emissions starting to move in the right direction. There is still significant action needed to meet our 45 per cent reduction target for 2030," said John Streicker, minister of energy, mines and resources, during a media briefing Monday afternoon.

"Wrestling climate change is a collaborative effort. Yukoners have already shown we can collectively make a significant impact in reducing our emissions. We'll need this ongoing support and effort to meet our targets from all Yukoners."

It's the second iteration of the report, called Our Clean Future. The first one was released after three years of collaboration with Yukon First Nations, transboundary Indigenous groups and municipalities. It came about as a response to the global and local climate emergency, the report says.

The report details the territory's progress on its environmental goals, including136 commitments outlined by the government. Yukon also completed its first territory-wide climate risk and resilience assessment, which covers topics like biodiveristy, floods and fires and permafrost thaw.

The new report shows the Yukon's greenhouse gas emissions in 2020 dropped 12 per cent below 2019 levels, though that was partially attributed to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Those emissions, calculated on a two-year delay, exclude emissions from mining activities.

Streicker said the government is trying to find ways to reach its emissions goals "while not affecting the Yukon's economic activity."

"So, how to decouple those two," he said. "That is really the whole purpose of the three of the four main goals of the plan."

Streicker said the territory is currently engaging with the public and the mining industry to decide the target for mining emissions reduction. Right now, the proposal is to reduce emissions by 45 per cent by 2035. The public engagement for that closes early October. Streicker said a target should be set by the end of the year.

When zoomed out to a wider picture, the Yukon's emissions in 2020 were still up by three per cent compared to 2010 levels, the report shows.

Meanwhile, greenhouse gas emissions in 2020 per capita – or by person – were down slightly compared to a decade ago, at 17. 5 tonnes of CO2 per person compared to 20 tonnes of CO2 per person.