FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 15, 1998

Two reports from the Yukon Council on the Economy and the Environment were tabled in the legislature this week and simultaneously published on the Council's new website.

On Monday the Government Leader tabled a report on the activities of the Yukon Council on the Economy and the Environment (YCEE) and on Tuesday, the Minister of Renewable Resources tabled a report by the YCEE reviewing the Yukon government's implementation of the Yukon Conservation Strategy.

The Annual Review of the Yukon Conservation Strategy covers both the 1996 and 1997 calendar years. It notes that, in general, the Yukon government is doing a good job implementing the Yukon Conservation Strategy.

" While we recognize that the Yukon government has operated in good faith and taken many positive steps to fulfilling the objectives of the Yukon Conservation Strategy, we are recommending that the next revisions to the Yukon Conservation Strategy make a stronger connection between the actions suggested and actual results desired," said Jennifer Mauro, chair of the YCEE.

The report also recommends that the Yukon government:

• maintain efforts to ensure that all students receive some conservation-based education;
• improve the methods for evaluating the success of its conservation programs;
• develop a system for monitoring the diversion of waste from landfills;
• improve the energy efficiency of government's operations;
• continue efforts to make land use planning an effective process; and
• place a high priority on implementation of the Protected Areas Strategy.

The next revisions to the Yukon Conservation Strategy will be developed in 1999 as required under the Environment Act.

The Report of the Yukon Council on the Economy and the Environment, which was tabled by the Government Leader in the Legislative Assembly on Monday, provides a summary of the activities and expenditures for the three fiscal years since the last report was tabled in 1995.

The Environment Act requires the YCEE to publish both these reports on an annual basis for tabling in the Legislative Assembly. "We've also published it and other reports on our new website because members want this material to be widely available for the public," said Mauro.

Both reports, as well as the minutes from the YCEE's meetings, are available on the YCEE's website at http://www.yukonweb.yk.ca/community/ycee/.

Contact:

Jennifer Mauro
Chair of the Yukon Council on the Economy and the Environment
(867) 633-2109