COMMUNITY CLIMATE ACTION STRATEGY - CONSULTANT RECOMMENDATION
A presentation outlining consultant recommendations for new Greenhouse Gas (GHG) reduction targets for the Town of View Royal, alongside public engagement feedback and comparisons with other jurisdictions.
COMMUNITY CLIMATE ACTION STRATEGY
CONSULTANT RECOMMENDATION
Current Town of View Royal Greenhouse Gas Reduction Targets
Current Official Community Plan target:
- Achieve or exceed Provincial targets.
- 12% below 2007 levels by 2017, 33% by 2030
Climate Emergency Declaration:
- Carbon neutrality by 2030
Recommended New View Royal Community Greenhouse Gas Reduction Target
- 45% reduction from 2007 by 2030
- 100% reduction from 2007 levels by 2050
Rationale
- Aligned with overarching goal of limiting global warming to 1.5C, as per the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (October 2018).
- Carbon neutrality or a 100% reduction in emissions by 2030 is extremely ambitious and will most likely not be met by any jurisdiction in North America Additionally, difficult to achieve without the support of higher levels of government and without imposing significant cost on residents.
- There are several critically supportive policy tools that are available from the federal and provincial governments which will help to meet the 2050 target. However, these policies will not be implemented in time to reach an ambitious 2030 target.
- Residents who completed the second community survey were supportive of the recommended targets with the bulk of respondents supporting even more ambitious action.
| Jurisdiction | Near Term reduction* Target | Near Term reduction* Year | Long Term reduction* Target | Long Term reduction* Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Proposed - View Royal | 45% | 2030 | 100% | 2050 |
| Capital Regional District | 33% | 2020 | 61% | 2038 |
| Central Saanich (OCP underway) | 45% | 2030 | 80% | 2050 |
| Colwood | 45% | 2030 | 80% | 2050 |
| Esquimalt (Climate Plan underway) | 38% | 2030 | Net zero (100%) | 2050 |
| Highlands | 26% | 2030 | 80% | 2050 |
| Langford | 25% | 2030 | 33% | 2050 |
| Metchosin | 33% | 2020 | blank | blank |
| North Saanich (OCP underway) | 25% | 2020 | 45% | 2040 |
| Oak Bay | 33% | 2020 | 61% | 2038 |
| Saanich | 50% | 2030 | Net zero (100%) | 2050 |
| Sidney (OCP/Climate Plan underway) | 30% | 2030 | 80% | 2050 |
| Sooke (OCP review underway) | a. (Current) 33% b. (Draft) 40% |
a. 2020 b. 2030 |
(Draft) 90.5% | 2050 |
| Victoria | 50% | 2030 | 80% | 2050 |
* From 2007 GHGe levels
ALTERNATIVE RECOMMENDATION 1 (Status quo – highly ambitious):
THAT the Committee recommend to Council that the target to reduce community Green House Gas emissions by 100% from 2007 levels (carbon neutrality) by 2030 be endorsed.
Achieving the goal in that time frame is unlikely because it can be expected take more than eight years, if not decades, for the community to switch away from fossil fuels.
ALTERNATIVE RECOMMENDATION 2 (less ambitious - average):
THAT the Committee recommend to Council that targets be endorsed to reduce community Green House Gas emissions by:
- 37% from 2007 levels by 2030
- 75% from 2007 levels by 2050.
Could be consistent with the Regional growth Strategy target of a 60% reduction from 2007 levels by 2038.
RECOMMENDATION:
THAT the Committee recommend to Council that Green House Gas Reduction targets be endorsed to reduce community Green House Gas emissions by:
- 45% from 2007 levels by 2030
- 100% from 2007 levels by 2050.
Staff recommends the targets proposed by the consultant because community engagement indicates support for meaningful climate action.
If it is found that the action plan is unrealistic, the targets can be adjusted, as long they continue to address the Regional Growth Strategy targets at minimum.
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