Ecosystem Indicator Initiatives in Canada's North

An inventory for the Northern Ecosystem Initiative

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To help make information on the state of ecosystems in Northern Canada more accessible, IISD inventoried and assessed existing ecosystem indicators in the Canadian North for Environment Canada's Northern Ecosystem Initiative.

Twenty-two ecosystem indicator initiatives and over 300 ecosystem indicators were identified with most falling within and/or across the jurisdictional boundaries of the Yukon, the Northwest Territories and Nunavut. We found that individual projects were information-rich with indicators that met the needs of the initiative, but few used indicator frameworks, and most lacked aggregation mechanisms, integration and the existence of truly broad, systemic indicators.

This report includes an overview and synthesis of findings, an annotated bibliography of existing ecosystem indicators and supporting documents include tables of indicators, records of interviews and a list of contacted persons and initiatives.

Environment Canada's Northern Ecosystem Initiative (NEI) supports the establishment of a northern monitoring network able to provide status and trend information. Important elements underlying this priority include supporting efforts to make the status and trend information more readily accessible and of use (understandable) to northern communities, planners, policy- and decision-makers and the general public; and, to the extent possible, ensuring the northern monitoring network is consistent with and supportive of Canada's commitments under the Arctic Council and other international fora where issues of significance to the Canadian North are addressed. To strategically move ahead on that priority, NEI required an overview report and annotated inventory of existing ecosystem indicators in the Canadian North.

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For more information, contact Marlene Roy.