Climate Change

Integrated Approach

Addressing climate change in the territory is led by Environment and Climate Change (ECC) and is a GNWT mandate priority. ECC, the Department of Infrastructure and the Department of Finance are working together — along with other GNWT departments and external partners — to ensure our response to climate change is coordinated and comprehensive.

NWT Climate Change Action Plan

The Action Plan was released in April 2019 and includes action items that will help the territory reach the goals set out in the Framework from 2019 to 2023. Public engagement on the 2025-2029 Action Plan is complete and under review. This information will be used in the development of our next Action Plan, to be released in 2025, and will also be compiled into a public ‘What We Heard Report.’

ECC reports on the progress annually.

Annual Reports

NWT Energy Initiatives Report

Produced by the Department of Infrastructure, the GNWT’s 2030 Energy Strategy (Strategy) sets out the GNWT’s long-term approach to supporting secure, affordable and sustainable energy supply and use in the NWT. The Strategy is also the GNWT’s primary mechanism — along with the NWT Carbon Tax — to reach the Framework’s first goal of transitioning to a lower carbon economy.

For more information on what the GNWT is doing to support secure, affordable and sustainable energy supply and use in the territory, visit the Department of Infrastructure’s website.

Annual Reports

NWT Carbon Tax

The NWT Carbon Tax was implemented in September 2019. It supports the Framework’s first goal of transitioning the NWT to a lower carbon economy. It is also the NWT’s approach to carbon pricing as part of a commitment to the Pan-Canadian Framework on Clean Growth and Climate Change. The carbon tax increased from $20 per tonne in 2019 to $30 per tonne in 2020, and $65 tonne in 2023. Tax  will continue to grow by $15/tonne annually until the rates reach $170/tonne in April 2030. The Department of Finance is responsible for implementing the tax.

For more information on the NWT Carbon Tax, how it works and how it may impact you, visit the Department of Finance’s website.

Annual reports