The Yukon Liberal Party has unveiled a seven-point action plan designed to address environmental issues and combat global warming.

At a news conference held Wednesday morning, Mike Walton, the party's Whitehorse West candidate for the Oct. 10 election, said the Liberals have come up with a plan designed to have Yukoners do their part to combat climate change.

'A healthy economy is only possible when it is coupled with a healthy environment,' Walton said.

The seven-point plan includes:

• targeted government assistance for Yukoners to improve the energy efficiency of their homes, beginning with an initial commitment of $250,000;

• improved efficiency and sustainability for Yukon government buildings and operations;

• working with communities, energy regulators and suppliers to reduce remote diesel generation in the territory;

• working with a community partner to develop a biomass community heating system;

• ensuring energy conservation and renewable energy are part of Yukon Energy's long-term strategies;

• developing community energy management in Yukon communities that includes district heating with a focus on local employment and conservation;

• confirming baseline conditions and working collaboratively with industry, governments and others to establish targets for greenhouse gas emissions.

'Yukon Liberals are committed to balancing these issues and ending the jobs-versus-environment cycle,' Walton said.

Also included in the Liberals' strategy were bolstering the effectiveness of the Department of Environment, $500,000 a year for a renewable resources inventory, completing the Yukon State of Environment Report, placing a moratorium on the territory's outfitters policy and the development of a Yukon Drinking Water Strategy.

'We will make the changes by bringing in non-government organizations as well as government to do the research,' the candidate vowed.

Walton said the Liberals wanted to steer the territory away from diesel-fired generators to produce power and move to more environmentally sustainable options.

He said co-generation, including using fibres from beetle-killed wood, would help in that process.

Walton was asked specifically how the Liberal party would facilitate the extra power that would be needed when mines like the Minto-area development come on-line in the next year or two. He said the Liberals would discuss that with Yukon Energy and industry.

Also responding to specific questions as to whether the Liberals support an Alaska Highway gas pipeline project, Watson said those too would be the subject of discussions.

'We will support and facilitate discussion around the pipeline.'

Pat Duncan's 2000-2002 Liberal government heavily promoted the proposed pipeline project.