Photo: Harnessing the midnight sun in Nunavut

James Qillaq, mayor of Clyde River, gazes out to sea Aug. 6 from the deck of the MV Arctic Sunrise, a Greenpeace icebreaker, on its way from St. John’s, Nfld., to Qillaq’s home community loaded down with 27 solar panels to install on the Clyde River community hall. Greenpeace organizers, and local supporters such as Qillaq and former mayor Jerry Natanine, who is also on board the Arctic Sunrise, hope the solar installation will inspire other residents, and other communities, to consider renewable energy options to supplement dirty diesel power on which Nunavut’s power system depends. The two-week visit, which expects to include an appearance by movie star and climate change activist Emma Thompson, is also an attempt by Greenpeace to strengthen its relationship with Canadian Inuit and counsel them on how to effectively oppose seismic testing Baffin Bay and Davis Strait. They expect to arrive in Clyde River later this week. (PHOTO BY GREENPEACE)