Foreign Affairs committee  The production in that region certainly is. How you measure it is up for debate, I suppose, but I don't see that as being an issue at the Arctic Council per se, because the Arctic Council is actually very good at avoiding controversial issues. Industrial development is not on the table.

Foreign Affairs committee  I still am.

Foreign Affairs committee  I think there are a couple of approaches to this one. I referenced the clean air and climate coalition, which Canada and other Arctic countries are already members of. This group is working together on a national basis and is cooperating to raise awareness and reduce black carbon.

Foreign Affairs committee  Black carbon is soot produced by industrial processes. A good example is emissions from diesel engines, which are responsible for major human health impacts. This is not just a climate change issue. It is a real human health issue, which I probably should have emphasized more.

Foreign Affairs committee  Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. If I'd known we had more time, I would have brought my three-hour presentation. This will be mercifully shorter. I want to say thank you to the committee for inviting me here today. By way of background, I work for a Norwegian foundation called GRID-Arendal, which is based in a very small town in Norway called Arendal.