New poll affirms Yukoners want strong environmental protection
Whitehorse YT- Yukoners overwhelmingly support ambitious conservation measures, according to a new DataPath poll. The results affirm Yukoners’ concern for the environment, and are a reminder to the territory’s next government that issues like climate change, conservation, and mining reform must be priorities.
78% of respondents supported strong targets for the protection of land and water in the Yukon, giving the next Yukon government a clear mandate from the public to be leaders in conservation. This should be achieved through the land use planning process, and by working with First Nations with unceded territory to protect their lands.
Two thirds of respondents backed a target of 100 percent renewable energy generation for the territory. With increasing opportunities to grow wind, hydro and solar generation, this goal should be a target for 2030 in close alignment with Our Clean Future.
Over 70 percent of those polled agreed that much more should be done to clean up mines after closure, while less than a quarter thought the Yukon’s current mining laws were adequate. The newly released Mineral Development Strategy also calls for an overhaul of the Yukon’s century-old mining laws, to bring them in line with the Final Agreements and the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
“Over the course of its mandate the Yukon’s next government will make decisions with big environmental consequences, and this polling makes clear that Yukoners have high expectations,” said CPAWS Yukon Executive Director, Chris Rider.
“This poll shows that the new government must confront greenhouse gas emissions through green energy initiatives and tackle the failures of the mining industry with stricter laws and tougher strategies,” stated Coral Voss, Executive Director, YCS.
In addition to these results, the federal government is also investing heavily in nature conservation and climate change mitigation strategies, giving the Yukon an opportunity to grow our green economy and achieve numerous conservation wins in the coming years.
The poll was commissioned by CPAWS Yukon and the Yukon Conservation Society, and was conducted independently by DataPath Systems. The poll surveyed 425 Yukon adults, and is considered accurate to within 4.8 percent, 19 times out of 20.
Polling Results
Much more needs to be done to ensure satisfactory mine clean-up after a mine closes. | Completely Disagree | 6% |
Somewhat Disagree | 8% | |
Neither Agree or Disagree | 14% | |
Somewhat Agree | 23% | |
Completely Agree | 49% | |
The current laws that regulate the mining industry are sufficient as they are. | Completely Disagree | 25% |
Somewhat Disagree | 35% | |
Neither Agree or Disagree | 18% | |
Somewhat Agree | 16% | |
Completely Agree | 6% | |
Having all energy generation in the Yukon coming from renewable sources should be a Yukon target. | Completely Disagree | 8% |
Somewhat Disagree | 10% | |
Neither Agree or Disagree | 16% | |
Somewhat Agree | 29% | |
Completely Agree | 38% | |
The Federal government’s target is to permanently protect 25% of Canada’s land and waters by 2025 and 30% of land and waters by 2030. Do you think this target is: | Too low (more land and water than that should be protected) | 31.1% |
About right | 45.7% | |
Too high (less land and water than that should be protected) | 23.1% | |
Do you think the Yukon government should set a target that is: | Lower than the Federal target | 21.6% |
The same as the Federal target | 31.2% | |
Higher than the Federal target | 47.1% |
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Contact
Adil Darvesh | Communications Coordinator, CPAWS Yukon
867-393-8080 x9 | adarvesh@cpawsyukon.org
Debborah Donnelly | Director, Outreach and Communications, Yukon Conservation Society
867-668-5678 x1 | outreach@yukonconservation.org
