Premier Dennis Fentie and Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin have added climate change concerns to their intergovernmental discussions and agreements.

Fentie met with reporters Monday afternoon in Whitehorse to discuss his meeting last week with Palin in Anchorage.

He said he was pleased to renew the Alaska-Yukon Intergovernmental Accord. It specifies the two governments should co-operate on matters of tourism, transportation, trade and commerce, resource development, wildlife management, economic development and, new this year, climate change.

The agreement is not legally binding.

"It is only a definite expression and record of the purpose and intention of the parties, to which each honourably pledge themselves," reads the accord.

The accord will remain in active standing for the next four years, when it will either expire or need to be renewed.

Fentie said the addition of climate change may be interpreted as a research-sharing initiative between the University of Alaska, and government agencies and departments of both Alaska and the Yukon.

"This is for both Alaska and the Yukon to collaborate on issues of climate change, such as adaptation (to climate change)," said Fentie.

Fentie said he and Palin also discussed the proposed Alaska Highway gas pipeline. He said with no port facilities or plants available on the western seaboard to receive natural gas, the pipeline project "needs to go forward."

The Department of Energy, Mines and Resources reports that the Alaska Highway natural gas pipeline would start in Prudhoe Bay, Alaska, parallel the oil pipeline to Fairbanks, follow the Alaska Highway through Whitehorse and Watson Lake, and then continue through northeast B.C. and on into Alberta, carrying the gas to the southern market.

Approximately 760 kilometres, or 27 per cent, of the pipeline would run through the Yukon.

Economic Development Minister Jim Kenyon accompanied Fentie in his meeting with Palin.