Paris Agreement Too Costly for an Independent Greenland

If Greenland secures full independence from Denmark, it would be unable to meet the terms of the new Paris agreement on climate change, the Guardian reported.

Greenland is a self-governing territory of Denmark. It receives nearly $1 billion annually from Denmark, representing about half of its income, the article stated. But in order to boost and diversify its economy (fish account for about 90 percent of its exports), Greenland plans to exploit oil, gas and mineral reserves.

Greenland had its emissions quota set at 650,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide per year under the Kyoto agreement, according to the story, less than what a single coal-fired power station emits in a single year.

By cashing in on its resources, Greenland would raise its emissions. Such a move would force the country to find ways to opt out of the Paris deal, according to the Guardian.

Canada’s Inuit Meet with Prime Minister

Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau met with Inuit leaders in Ottawa this week to discuss Inuit issues, and how the Inuit and the government of Canada might work on them together, reported CBC News.

Natan Obed, the president of Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, Canada’s national Inuit organization, told CBC News that they discussed land claims, improving Inuit health and economic and infrastructure development.

The meeting included representatives from each of the four Inuit regions in Canada, as well as youth and women’s group leaders, reported Nunatsiaq News. Obed was quoted as saying that the was “encouraged by the engagement of the prime minister” and his colleagues.

The Inuit Circumpolar Council (ICC) also met this week in Ottawa to review its ongoing initiatives.

In a press release, the ICC announced that it had launched three Inuit summits, including a circumpolar-wide wildlife summit to be held in the Canadian Arctic in November, an Inuit economic summit planned for Alaska in February 2016, and an Inuit education summit scheduled for autumn 2017. Inuit from Alaska, Canada, Greenland and Russia are expected to attend.

Recommended Reading

• The Telegraph: Research in the Arctic – The Economy of the Svalbard Archipelago in Pictures
• The Ottawa Citizen: Re-engaging with Iran, Russia, in Canada’s Best Interest
• CNN: ‘This is the Cleanest Air You Will Breathe‘

Top image: Giant icebergs float in the fjord in Narsaq, southern Greenland. If the country is to become independent by exploiting its natural resources, it would have trouble meeting the demands of the Paris climate deal. (AP Photo/NORDFOTO)