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Arctic Yearbook 2013
The North & the Arctic: Québec‘s Interests & Actions
infrastructure built on permafrost. To this end, the government has set up a large network of
gauging stations, meteorological stations and cables to provide continuous data on the evolution of
the climate and the permafrost. Transports Québec is also playing a part in this effort through
Nunavik‘s Marine Infrastructures and Climate Change Research Project. This project is also looking
at northern airport and road infrastructures.
Conclusion
The Government of Québec is interested in the Arctic because climate change, which will
increasingly affect the region in decades to come, is likely to have a major impact on northern
populations and their ecosystems. There is much thinking and effort going on right now to facilitate
the adaptation of northern communities to their changing environment and find the best ways to
capitalize - in an environmentally sustainable manner - on the new opportunities in the North and
the Arctic. Through its international initiatives, the government is showcasing Québec‘s northern
expertise and research capabilities and developing new partnerships and new channels of
communication and dialogue with other Arctic regions. For Québec, it is essential that regional
actors from all across the Arctic share their knowledge and work together to adapt successfully,
while at the same time establishing a strong voice on the international Arctic stage.