Metro Vancouver wants to reduce the impact of climate change on the region with a new Climate 2050 Strategy.
In 2008, the board adopted a target of reducing greenhouse gas emissions to 80% of 2007 levels by 2050 but a lot of changes will be necessary to reach that goal.
Currently, cars and trucks are responsible for 31% of greenhouse gas emissions, buildings contribute 26%, industry is responsible for 17%, non-road engines at 8%, air, marine and rail add 7%, heavy duty vehicles contribute 5% while agriculture and waste are about 3%.
With its role in providing drinking water, handling waste and sewerage and operating other infrastructure such as social housing and parks, Metro Vancouver has an opportunity to make a difference and plans to apply a “climate lens” to its policies and initiatives.
“Metro Vancouver is well positioned to be an accelerator of climate action and we are already pursuing innovative ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, while investing in the resilience of our assets and infrastructure,” stated Metro Vancouver board chair Greg Moore, who is also the mayor of Port Coquitlam, in a press release.
In order to get to the 80% GHG reduction by 2050, the following changes would have to be made:
• 50% of trips would be by walking, cycling or transit and almost all cars and trucks would have to be electric vehicles,
• All new buildings would have to be carbon free, starting in 2030 and all building retrofits would have to achieve an 80% GHG reduction, starting in 2025,
• Heavy industry, including planes, trucks and ships would have to use low carbon fuel,
The goal would be to reduce C02 emitted from 16 million tones (2007 levels) to 3 million tonnes of C02 by 2050.
The public will be able to provide feedback on the Climate 2050 Discussion Paper at public events, and online. Feedback is required by June 30.
Climate projections for 2050 include warmer temperatures, with summer rainfall expected to decline by nearly 20% while fall and winter will be wetter with more intense rainfall events. Overall a 50% increase in the snow pack is expected while the sea level could rise 0.5 metres.
