Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutINS-18-024 - Long Term Community GHG Reduction TargetREPORT TO: Planning & Strategic Initiatives Committee DATE OF MEETING: April 9, 2018 SUBMITTED BY: Justin Readman, Interim Executive Director - Infrastructure Services, 519-741-2200 ext. 7646 PREPARED BY: Justin Readman, Interim Executive Director - Infrastructure Services, 519-741-2200 ext. 7646 Brandon Sloan, Manager of Long Range and Policy Planning, 519-741-2200 ext. 7648 WARD(S) INVOLVED: All DATEOF REPORT: March 26, 2018 REPORT NO.: INS-18-024 SUBJECT:Long Term Community Greenhouse Gas Reduction Target ___________________________________________________________________________ RECOMMENDATION: That Council endorse a community greenhouse gas emission reduction target of 80% below 2010 levels by 2050. BACKGROUND: ClimateActionWR is a collaborative effort led by Sustainable Waterloo Region and REEP Green Solutions. The three cities (Kitchener, Cambridge and Waterloo) along with the Regional Municipality of Waterloo jointly fund ClimateActionWR to develop the Climate Action Plan for Waterloo Region as part of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) Partners for Climate Protection (PCP) program. In 2013, the City Councils of Cambridge, Kitchener and Waterloo, as well as Regional Council, unanimously passed recommendations to endorse the Climate Action Plan and commit to a community Greenhouse Gas (GHG) reduction target of 6% below 2010 levels by 2020. On June 5, 2017 Kitchener Council received an update from ClimateActionWR titled Our Progress, Our Path, which showed that overall greenhouse gas emissions decreased in Waterloo Region by approximately 5% between 2010 and 2015. At this meeting Council also approved the recommendation for Kitchener to continue to participate as a collaborative partner in the upcoming engagement process to establish a long-term community greenhouse gas reduction target beyond 2020. This report *** This information is available in accessible formats upon request. *** Please call 519-741-2345 or TTY 1-866-969-9994 for assistance. 3 - 1 outlines the findings of the community consultation and recommends a long-term community GHG emission reduction target. REPORT: Community consultation as well as scientific evidence suggests that a community greenhouse gas emissions reduction target of 80% below 2010 levels by 2050 is appropriate for the Waterloo Region. The City of Kitchener along with the cities of Cambridge and Waterloo, and the Region of Waterloo are collectively seeking council endorsement of this recommendation during April and May of 2018. This target aligns with the provincial government’s emissions reduction target of 80% below baseline levels by 2050. Additionally, the federal government has recently consulted on the possibility of a similar target. Alignment with provincial and federal targets will be important moving forward. There have already been federal and provincial funding competitions that reward or require meeting or exceeding provincial emissions reduction targets for 2050, such as the Municipal GHG challenge fund. For municipalities to remain competitive in future funding competitions, an ambitious target that matches senior-level targets is required. It is also important to consider Waterloo Region’s target in the context of other communities in Southern Ontario. Communities such as London, Durham, Peel, Hamilton, and Toronto have set 2050 targets, and all of them have chosen 80% as their reduction target (Table 1). Ontario Communities with 2050 Targets (Table 1) Municipality ProvinceReduction Target Durham Region ON 80% by 2050 HamiltonON 80% by 2050 LondonON 80% by 2050 Peel Region ON 80% by 2050 TorontoON 80% by 2050 The consistent alignment around this target is also backed by scientific evidence. The United Nations Environment Programme has found that global emissions must be net- zero by 2060-2080 to prevent global temperatures from rising more than 1.5 degrees Celsius. By setting the recommended 2050 target, the Waterloo Region will support emissions reductions that align with the global temperature threshold. It is important to note that an absolute target has been selected for each of the jurisdictions listed above, including Kitchener. This means that as the communities’ population and economic activity grows the total emissions will lower. 3 - 2 At first glance an absolute GHG reduction of 80% below 2010 levels by 2050 seems like a significant challenge; however, local emissions are expected to decline substantially on their own over the next several decades. This is due to changes that will happen at other levels, including: auto manufacturers increasing production of electric and hydrogen vehicles; carbon pricing in developed countries that will favour renewable energy; significant decreases in the cost of related energy technologies, like stationary batteries that can store energy from solar panels; and changes to the building code in Ontario and other provinces and US states, which are expected to require that all new buildings be net-zero by about 2030. It is expected that a majority of that 80% reduction will result from these kinds of macro- trends and external changes. From an economic standpoint the global clean tech sector is expected to triple in value between 2014 and 2020, reaching $3 trillion. Globally, renewable energy has attracted more investment than oil, gas and coal combined for five years in a row, and oil and gas companies are now investing in renewable energy to remain competitive. Yet Canada’s proportion of global clean tech sector has been shrinking. For Waterloo Region to prepare for this new decarbonizing global economy, it must get out ahead of these economic trends. Showing leadership with an ambitious long-term emissions reduction target will better position the local economy and community to benefit from a low-carbon future. Achieving an ambitious target will bring many additional benefits to the community. Policies and investments that support additional emissions reductions, in areas like local energy investment, transportation, and land use planning go well beyond the fight against climate change. Investment in local energy brings economic benefits and adds resiliency to our energy system. Reduced emissions improves air quality and health outcomes. Building more liveable, walkable communities improves quality of life for local citizens, and makes the community a more attractive location for businesses and the workers they need. The community will demonstrate leadership by pursuing an ambitious target and help businesses and people see Waterloo Region as a place that’s ready for the future. At the same time, the region would be doing its part locally to solve the global problem of climate change. Following council endorsement of the target ClimateActionWR and local municipalities will be following a backcasting approach to meet the target.This approach begins with identifying a goal and is followed by a series of shorter-term plans that work toward achieving that goal, similar to the Corporate Climate Action Plan (CorCAP) process. Next steps will include a process to design the next Climate Action Plan. This will build on the work included within the Community Energy Investment Strategy, which identifies the impact of a number of energy and emission actions to the year 2041. The process will also further engage local stakeholders to achieve community ownership of the plan 3 - 3 and its implementation. Staff will report back to council on the progress as collaborative work between the partners continues. ALIGNMENT WITH CITY OF KITCHENER STRATEGIC PLAN: The recommendation of this report supports the achievement of the city’s strategic vision through the delivery of core service and is related to Strategic Priority #4 – Sustainable Environment and Infrastructure. FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS: The Cities of Kitchener, Cambridge, Waterloo and the Regional Municipality of Waterloo provide equal contributions toward ClimateActionWR’s annual budget of approximately $100,000. This funding and support has been secured until July 2021 through collaborative agreements between the municipalities and ClimateActionWR to provide stability for the implementation of the Community Climate Action Plan. COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT: INFORM – This report has been posted to the City’s website with the agenda in advance of the council / committee meeting. CONSULT – Nationally, a recent representative Abacus survey found the vast majority of voters believe action must be taken on climate change. Locally, statistically representative polling of Waterloo Region residents conducted in 2017 found that 89% of people said climate change was “a significant issue.” ClimateActionWR’s public consultations in 2017 and early 2018 showed strong support for an ambitious long-term target. Between July and November 2017, ClimateActionWR heard from more than 1800 people across Waterloo Region. When asked, 85% of people chose a 2050 target of 50% or more, and a majority of 53% chose a target of 70% or more. People in Waterloo Region want to take action on climate change. ClimateActionWR attended Kitchener Cycling and Trails Advisory Committee on thth January 9, 2018, Kitchener Environmental Committee on January 18, 2018 and st Kitchener Safe and Healthy Community Advisory Committee on February 1, 2018. Each committee was supportive of setting an aggressive target. The Environmental Committee also passed the following recommendation: That the community greenhouse gas emission reduction target be set no less than 80% below 2010 levels by 2050. COLLABORATE – ClimateActionWR facilitates three volunteer committees made up of local residents and representatives of partner organizations. These committees meet monthly to support community action within the focus areas of: transportation, 3 - 4 workplaces and homes. The development of a community GHG reduction target was developed through a collaborative effort. PREVIOUS CONSIDERATION OF THIS MATTER: CSD-13-108 (October 30, 2013) – Community Climate Action Plan and Corporate Greenhouse Gas Reduction Initiative CSD-17-046 (May 29, 2017) - Community Climate Action Plan Progress Report CSD-18-004 (February 5, 2018) - Community Energy Investment Strategy for Waterloo Region ACKNOWLEDGED BY: Justin Readman, Interim Executive Director – Infrastructure Services 3 - 5