Comparing Offshore Oil and Gas Drilling Regimes
A new report by the Pembina Institute compares the offshore drilling regulatory regimes of the Canadian Arctic, the U.S., the U.K., Greenland, and Norway. It identifies similarities and differences of key aspects of the regimes, including management systems, drilling and well activities, facility and drilling systems, well control, independent verification of safety, and oil spill response. The study was initiated by the National Energy Board, which regulates offshore oil and gas drilling and production in the Canadian Arctic.
Download the Executive Summary | Download the report
Geothermal Energy in the Northwest Territories
Geothermal is a form of renewable energy that produces few if any greenhouse gas emissions and can provide a stable, secure supply of energy. There is high potential for the use of geothermal energy to generate heat and power in the Northwest Territories. Building a regulatory framework for geothermal energy development in the NWT, a new report by the Pembina Institute, documents the key policy issues associated with geothermal energy development and makes recommendations for advancing geothermal energy in the NWT. The report contains the results of a jurisdictional review of geothermal policy and interviews with geothermal energy experts from around the world.
Download the report: Building a regulatory framework for geothermal energy development in the NWT
Climate Change and Communities in the Northwest Territories Forum
From March 29–30, 2011, municipal leaders and staff gathered in Yellowknife, NWT, to share information and knowledge at the Climate Change and Communities in the Northwest Territories Forum. The forum was designed to promote regional action to help
address climate change effects in Northwest Territories communities. Approximately 125 people attended the forum, and participants represented 27 of the 33 communities in the NWT.
To learn more about the forum, please visit the forum web page.
Northern Lifeblood
The Mackenzie River Basin has sustained people and an abundance of flora and fauna for millennia — long before this land was called a country, let alone split into provinces and territories. Today, its rivers and streams cross several political boundaries, covering the northern half of Alberta, parts of British Columbia, Saskatchewan and the Yukon, and most of the Northwest Territories.
Northern Lifeblood looks closely at the risks posed by upstream oilsands development and points to ways northern leaders can take action to protect the Mackenzie River Basin.
Download the four-page fact sheet.
Defending the North
The Mackenzie Gas Project has the potential to open the doors for the biggest industrial development Canada's Arctic has ever seen. A Joint Review Panel was appointed to consider both the opportunities and the risks associated with the project. The panel's comprehensive report, issued in December 2009, included 176 recommendations designed to ensure that the project proceeds in a way that will be positive for the North. The panel emphasized that if its recommendations are not implemented, "the project's impact on the environment would likely be significant and adverse."
Now the fate of the project and the panel's carefully crafted recommendations rest with the National Energy Board, the body responsible for determining if the project is in the public interest. The National Energy Board will begin hearings into the project on April 12 and is expected to give its final decision on whether the project should go ahead in September.
For more information about the panel's findings and the National Energy Board's response, read the Pembina Institute's new fact sheet, "Defending the North."
At a Crossroads
Achieving a Win-Win From Oil and Gas Developments in the Northwest Territories
The Canadian government, as a resource manager for the Northwest Territories' oil and gas resources, is at a crossroads — it has to decide how to manage the development of the oil and gas resources in the territory. A new discussion paper by the Pembina Institute, At a Crossroads: Achieving a Win-Win From Oil and Gas Developments in the Northwest Territories, makes the case for a win-win development scenario. A win-win development scenario would allow companies to earn fair returns on their investments while providing maximum benefit for resource owners today and in the future. To accomplish the win-win, the federal government needs to review and reform royalty rates and the bidding process for awarding oil and gas leases to capture maximum revenue from oil and gas developments. At the same time, the Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) needs to take advantage of available tax options to obtain revenue for oil and gas resource owners in the territory.
Read an overview // read the fact sheet // read the report.
Young Leaders Issue Declaration on Climate Change
On August 20, 60 young Canadians issued a declaration calling for action on northern climate change. The declaration highlights four areas of concern about the progress of climate change issues and upcoming negotiations. Read the press release and the Declaration of the Young Leaders' Summit on Northern Climate Change to learn more.
The declaration is the 
culmination of the Young Leaders' Summit on Northern Climate Change, which took place from August 17 to 20 in Inuvik, Northwest Territories. The summit empowered young leaders to tackle the greatest challenge facing the planet—climate change. For more information, visit www.climateleaders.ca and read the final summit report.
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