Released on January 8, 2002
Saskatchewan people will now be able to find climate change informationmore easily, thanks to the launch of Climate Change Saskatchewan, one of
several climate change centres across Canada designed to help Canadians
understand climate change and learn what to do to lessen its effects.
The Government of Canada, the Government of Saskatchewan and the University
of Regina are working together on a pilot project, which will concentrate
on Saskatchewan issues such as energy use, education and agricultural
practices.
"Climate Change Saskatchewan will provide and co-ordinate education and
information on climate change that is credible and relevant to the people
of Saskatchewan," Natural Resources Canada Minister Ralph Goodale said.
"We see this as a key requirement for individuals, industry, government and
others to take action on climate change."
"Climate change is a complex issue which has many environmental, economic
and social implications, and it is important for all people and sectors in
Saskatchewan to understand these issues and to learn how they can
contribute to a solution," Energy and Mines Minister Andrew Thomson said.
Environment and Resource Management Minister Buckley Belanger agreed.
"We're all responsible and all of us will have a role to play in addressing
this issue," Belanger said. "Climate Change Saskatchewan will help us
create much greater awareness and understanding of how climate change is
affecting us now, how it will affect us in the future, how we can take
steps to reduce its impacts and how we will need to adapt."
"The University of Regina is becoming a leader in climate change research
with the new Greenhouse Gas Technology Centre, the Prairie Adaptation
Research Collaborative (PARC) and the associated work of the Petroleum
Technology Research Centre," University of Regina President Dr. David
Barnard said. "We're very pleased to host this important new organization
that will help the University to focus on developing school-based and
public education programs supporting our research activities."
The Governments of Canada and Saskatchewan have contributed $80,000 and
$87,000 respectively to this 18-month pilot project. The University of
Regina will host the centre.
As a pilot program, the services and organization are expected to evolve to
meet the changing needs of the climate change issue. An advisory committee
composed of individuals representing numerous sectors throughout
Saskatchewan, including business, environment, industry, education and
government, will guide the organization.
Climate Change Saskatchewan's Web site, features resource pages for
students, teachers, industry sectors and others, in addition to information
on how climate change affects Saskatchewan, links to other organizations
working on climate change and advice on how people can take action. The
Web site is located at www.climatechangesask.ca.
Climate Change Saskatchewan is promoting a speakers' bureau and developing
educational materials to support a climate change curriculum for all levels
of school children. The education sector program will be kicked off at the
Teachers' Conventions in February. Call toll free to 1-866-887-8823 to
request a speaker or get more information.
This is Canada's fifth climate change centre. New Brunswick, Alberta, Nova
Scotia and the Northwest Territories launched their centres in 2001. They
are part of the First National Climate Change Business Plan, agreed to by
the federal, provincial and territorial ministers of energy and environment
at a meeting in October, 2000.
Government of Canada funding for this initiative is built into the existing
financial framework. It is funded through the $150-million Climate Change
Action Fund established in the 1998-99 federal budget and extended for a
further three years in the 2000 federal budget.
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For more information, contact:
Pat Breton Ed Dean
Press Secretary Environment and Resource
Natural Resources Canada Management
Phone: (613) 996-2007 Phone: (306) 787-7812
Janet Peters Dan Beveridge
Saskatchewan Energy and Mines Saskatchewan Instructional
Phone: (306) 787-2567 Development Research Unit
University of Regina
Phone: (306) 585-4839