Addressing climate change will be a fundamental element of the Yukon and Northwest Territories Intergovernmental Relations Accord.

'The North must work together,' Premier Dennis Fentie told local reporters by telephone from Yellowknife last Friday afternoon.

Though the territories emit very little in terms of greenhouse gases, the impacts of global warming are stark and severe, said Fentie.

'Most of the evidence of climate change in the country is here,' said N.W.T. Premier Joe Handley. 'A lot of the other premiers do look toward the North to take a lead on this.'

Fentie met with Handley to sign the accord in Yellowknife. It is the second renewal of the document, which was first signed in 1999.

The signing covers four years and formalizes an agreement to work co-operatively in the areas of health care, economic development, tourism, infrastructure, education and the environment. An emphasis will also be placed on boreal forest fire management.

'What we've managed to do by being a collective in the North is we've established ourselves firmly on the national stage, and are now very much a part of the national discussion and what's going on in this country today,' said Fentie.

Previous accomplishments under the accord include more federal funding for health care, the new territorial financing formal and the pan-Northern approach to the 2007 Canada Winter Games, said Fentie.

'This accord continues the strong alliance that we enjoy with our northern neighbours for the benefit of citizens on both sides of our common border,' he added.

The two premiers agreed that addressing oil and gas, in relation to the Mackenzie Valley and Alaska Highway pipelines, will likely be a focus during this accord's term.

The Yukon will be supporting the efforts of the N.W.T. in putting through its pipeline, said Fentie.

'We take no issue with the sequencing of the projects,' he said, adding both pipelines are viable.

The territory will also be supporting the N.W.T. in its efforts to complete devolution, Fentie said.

But the Yukon will be watching the status of that deal carefully. If a better agreement on resources is achieved, it will be expected the Yukon will receive the same from Canada, he said.

'Being masters of our own house is an important part of coming of age,' said Fentie.

Handley said the N.W.T. is interested in learning from the Yukon's example of capitalizing on the tourism industry.

'It's an important piece of the Yukon's economy and we haven't developed to that extent yet,' said Handley.

There is also a lot of opportunity to work together in relation to mining and exploration, said Handley.

Canadians are becoming increasing interested in the North, said Fentie, and want to know what the federal government's vision for the territories is.

'There's a willingness in the country to ensure that we have significant and acceptable input in that.'

The accord is meant to acknowledge the common border and the Aboriginal kinship ties between the two territories.

Though it promotes co-operation and sharing of information, it is not a legally binding agreement.