Forest Pearson is among thirteen individuals selected for Yukon’s very first Climate Leadership Council. The Council’s objective is to provide advice to the territorial government on how to reduce Yukon’s greenhouse gas emissions by 45 percent compared to 2010 levels, by 2030.
Forest Pearson Selected for Council
Forest is a Senior Geological Engineer on Morrison Hershfield’s Environmental Team. As a life-long Yukoner, he is passionate about reducing the impacts of climate change through sustainable practices - both in his career and lifestyle. He works on projects for territorial, municipal and First Nations governments, seeking to assess and mitigate the potential impacts of climate change.
Forest talked about his ambitions for the Yukon and his role on the council. “I am excited to help advance progressive ideas that contribute to a post carbon future for the Yukon. We are blessed with so many natural resources up here that the land should be able to support us in a much more sustainable way. We have the solutions; it is just a matter of us, as society, deciding to make the change. In the end, it will result in better quality of life for Yukoners, so transitioning to our clean future is something to look forward to.”
Hitting the Ground Running
The Yukon Climate Leadership Council was formed in November and has met three times to work toward their goals. The thirteen-member Council were selected from 54 applicants, based on their applicable experience and traditional knowledge. Together, they will advise the government on strategies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
The Yukon’s greenhouse gas emissions reduction target was increased from 30 percent to 45 percent last April as part of the Yukon Government’s Confidence and Supply Agreement. “We have a great facilitator who has a lot of interesting engagement tools to help the Council progress and work together in a virtual environment. I am also excited to work with the other Council members – they are all people of positive energy and seem genuinely interested in collaborating and hearing each other’s perspectives,” comments Forest. Although still early in the process, one of the Council’s first tasks is to develop operating procedures and a workplan in January 2022. The Council has an ambitious timeline and is keen to get to work.
Morrison Hershfield's Commitment to Climate Resilience
Morrison Hershfield helps communities meet project objectives while incorporating climate change considerations during infrastructure planning, design and operations. We actively collaborate with our clients to assess, quantify and verify the lifecycle GHG emissions associated with existing or proposed infrastructure and help them develop strategies to reduce those emissions and meet required targets. In addition to mitigating impacts, our team also helps clients prepare their infrastructure for increased resiliency to severe weather events due to a changing climate.
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Forest Pearson
Email: fpearson@morrisonhershfield.com Phone: 867 456 4747
