Couillard makes impassioned plea to tackle climate change

The planet is onthe verge of a tipping point and urgent measures are required tofight climate change, Premier Philippe Couillard told an international conference in Iceland Friday.

Couillardmade the comments as one of the first speakers at the third annual Article Circle conference, which is being attended by 1,800 participants from 50 countries.

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Couillard, speaking exclusively in French withsimultaneous translation, gave a preview of his speechatthe much-anticipated United Nations Climate Change Conferencein December, a meeting that is expected to determine international policyin coming years.

The conference in Paris is expected to see countries commit to keepglobal warming increases below two degreesCelcius.

Couillard described climate change as "already a reality" and said that temperatures could rise in northern Quebec from 2.8 C to 5.8 Cby 2050.

He said that it is"imperative" that all countries unite for aninternational climate control project in Paris.

Relying on science

In abriefing afterwards, Couillard stressed that despite overallcutbacks, his governmentinvested $3 million inthe Nordic Institute, a research group for sustainable development of Quebec's north, part ofthe Plan Nord.

"We cannot fund all sectors. We must choose our priorities," he said. "As the Plan Nord is one of our top priorities, itsscientific and academic component shouldbe supported and we will continue to support it. We need science to guide our decisions."

Official figures indicate that provincial funding for three major Nordic research programs was cutfrom $5.7 million in 2011-2012 to $5.2 million in 2013-2014.