Inuit leaders worry Arctic being ignored at Johannesburg summit

Inuit leaders attending the World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) in Johannesburg, South Africa, this week were concerned the Arctic would be ignored in the final political declaration.

“Climate change and contaminants are issues Inuit are dealing with daily,” said Sheila Watt-Cloutier, chair of the Inuit Circumpolar Conference.

“The impacts are dramatic. The snow and ice upon which our very lives depend is rapidly melting before our eyes because of global warming. What is happening in the Arctic today is a snapshot of the planet’s future,” she said.

However, there were limited opportunities at WSSD to present concerns about the sustainability of Inuit culture.

In a speech on Monday, Prime Minister Jean Chrétien said Inuit were being detrimentally affected by climate change. He committed to bring the Kyoto Protocol before parliament for ratification before the end of the year.