Highlight reports provide summaries of key findings from the full online set of indicators. They are published after every election year (every four years).
Special reports provide overviews on species subject matter. They are published as needed and appropriate, for example, to celebrate a UN-designated International Year.
In this section
This is the third in a series of NWT State of the Environment Highlights Reports. This report highlights the cumulative effects of many driving forces and pressures on key components of the NWT environment.
This is the second NWT State of the Environment Highlights Report. It reaffirms some key findings presented in the 2009 report; modifies or provides more detail on other findings; and presents new insights for 2011 and beyond.
Biodiversity is essential for supplying the vital ecosystem services for a healthy living planet, including clean water, productive soil, clean air and food. Loss of biodiversity threatens the health of people and of the ecosystems that people live in.
Nature's capacity to adapt to a changing environment decreases with a lack of biodiversity, reducing nature's ability to provide those vital services. The 2010 International Year of Biodiversity celebrates the life on earth and the value of biodiversity. The NWT is a part of this celebration. The goal of the 2010 Special Biodiversity report is to provide information on the state of NWT's biodiversity. It provides information to help us understand what components of NWT's biodiversity are changing and why. This information is used to assess the success of our actions in biodiversity conservation and sustainable use in the NWT and to plan for the future.
The NWT is home to some of the largest remaining portions of two important biomes on the planet: the boreal-taiga forest and the Arctic tundra. NWT residents are responsible to the world for the conservation of these biomes, and for their development in an ecologically sustainable manner.
To succeed, all NWT residents, as well as their responsible governments, boards, and organizations, must share knowledge and insights on their environment from all available sources, including traditional knowledge and scientific information. Future reports will improve and add to this knowledge and these insights with our help. More information on each of these findings can be found under highlight indicators in the web-based NWT State of the Environment Report.