Elaine Taylor, the Yukon's deputy premier and environment minister, is leading the territory's 11-person delegation at the UN climate talks this week in Copenhagen. (Patricia Bell/CBC)

Yukon Environment Minister Elaine Taylor is responding to public criticism about the large delegation she's brought with her to the United Nations climate change summit in Copenhagen this week.

A total of 11 people are representing the Yukon — the largest of all the three territories, and larger than some provincial delegations — at a cost of about $80,000 to taxpayers.

Taylor said it's important to ensure the Yukon is well represented at the conference, the aim of which is to get world leaders to work toward a new agreement on reducing global greenhouse gas emissions.

The Yukon delegation includes a youth member, technical policy advisors, opposition MLAs and a communications assistant who can send out information about the Yukon's position, Taylor said.

The delegates are sharing the duties of attending multiple events throughout the summit, she said.

Taylor — who is deputy premier — is also defending the absence of Premier Dennis Fentie, who decided to stay in the Yukon instead of attending the international conference.

"We're in the last week of our legislature. He's the minister of finance, [and] he is ensuring that we get through that sitting," Taylor said.

"He's doing his part. But to his credit, he's also given me the leadership on the climate change file, and I very much appreciate that."

Fentie wants to ensure the territory's supplementary budget and other legislation gets passed before the session adjourns on Thursday, Taylor said.

He will also be hosting a meeting of Canada's finance ministers in Whitehorse on Thursday and Friday.

Hundreds of world leaders have arrived in Copenhagen over the course of the two-week summit, which ends Friday. Prime Minister Stephen Harper is en route to the Danish capital and is expected to arrive on Thursday.

Even the North's two other premiers, Eva Aariak of Nunavut and Floyd Roland of the Northwest Territories, are in Copenhagen this week for the talks.