Author of the article: Madeline Smith
Publishing date:Aug 12, 2021 •
It was another smoke shrouded day in the city as Calgarians exercised on the Bow River pathway on Monday, July 19, 2021. PHOTO BY GAVIN YOUNG/POSTMEDIA
Advocates say climate change should be a central issue in this year’s municipal election as a new UN report sounds a “deafening” alarm about the future.
Environmental advocacy group Calgary Climate Hub is calling for city council candidates to pursue policies directly aimed at lowering greenhouse gas emissions, from setting reduction targets for city-owned utility Enmax to increasing access to public transit.
The city’s current climate resilience strategy aims for Calgary’s emissions to be 80 per cent lower than the 2005 levels by 2050, a target that many say falls short. The Climate Hub says at a minimum, net-zero emissions by 2050 must be the goal.
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U.N. climate change report sounds 'code red for humanity'
Advocates say climate change should be a central issue in this year’s municipal election as a new UN report sounds a “deafening” alarm about the future.
Environmental advocacy group Calgary Climate Hub is calling for city council candidates to pursue policies directly aimed at lowering greenhouse gas emissions, from setting reduction targets for city-owned utility Enmax to increasing access to public transit.
The city’s current climate resilience strategy aims for Calgary’s emissions to be 80 per cent lower than the 2005 levels by 2050, a target that many say falls short. The Climate Hub says at a minimum, net-zero emissions by 2050 must be the goal.
U.N. climate change report sounds 'code red for humanity'
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Monday’s report from the scientists of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) says human-caused emissions are “unequivocally” driving average global temperatures up, and some changes are already irreversible and will cause more extreme weather.
A temperature increase of 1.5 C is generally seen as the maximum the planet can withstand without widespread social upheaval. The report says that target will arrive within 20 years, and emissions need to be drastically slashed over the next decade to ensure warming doesn’t get even worse
.
Be The Change YYC Street Outreach team members distribute water, hats and other supplies to vulnerable Calgarians in the downtown core during a heat wave on June 28, 2021. PHOTO BY GAVIN YOUNG/POSTMEDIA
Calgary Climate Hub director-at-large Rob Tremblay said it’s clear that the impacts of climate change are already here, pointing to this summer’s devastating heat waves and wildfires as just the latest example. The City of Calgary’s climate team says climate change means the city will see more severe and frequent extreme weather like flooding, drought and the effects of wildfires.
“It’s not just something that’s uncomfortable. It’s something that’s deadly. There’s a big, big cost to just doing nothing when it comes to climate change,” Tremblay said.
The group recently published its platform for the Oct. 18 municipal vote, and is urging Calgarians to ask council candidates about tackling climate change locally. The Climate Hub won’t be endorsing any candidates ahead of the vote, but has published a questionnaire on climate and equity issues sent to mayoral candidates throughout July.
“The traditional policy levers aren’t necessarily the city’s jurisdiction, but I want to make sure council candidates aren’t using that as an excuse not to address climate change,” Tremblay said.
“The city needs to say, ‘What can we do?’ and not just cede that (responsibility).”
Calgary Climate Hub director-at-large Rob Tremblay said it’s clear that the impacts of climate change are already here, pointing to this summer’s devastating heat waves and wildfires as just the latest example. The City of Calgary’s climate team says climate change means the city will see more severe and frequent extreme weather like flooding, drought and the effects of wildfires.
“It’s not just something that’s uncomfortable. It’s something that’s deadly. There’s a big, big cost to just doing nothing when it comes to climate change,” Tremblay said.
The group recently published its platform for the Oct. 18 municipal vote, and is urging Calgarians to ask council candidates about tackling climate change locally. The Climate Hub won’t be endorsing any candidates ahead of the vote, but has published a questionnaire on climate and equity issues sent to mayoral candidates throughout July.
“The traditional policy levers aren’t necessarily the city’s jurisdiction, but I want to make sure council candidates aren’t using that as an excuse not to address climate change,” Tremblay said.
“The city needs to say, ‘What can we do?’ and not just cede that (responsibility).”
Smoke from wildfires obscured downtown Calgary beyond the teepees of the Calgary Stampede Elbow River Camp on July 18, 2021. PHOTO BY GAVIN YOUNG/POSTMEDIA
University of Alberta urban and regional planning faculty lecturer Neal LaMontagne echoed that cities are limited in some of the options they have for addressing climate change. But they also have a huge hand in transportation and development, which can be critical to the state of emissions.
“One of the courses I teach is planning history, and that’s the trajectory I’ve seen: from ‘How do we reduce our greenhouse gases?’ to ‘Let’s not think about urban environments and nature in opposition,'” he said.
“We know what a sustainable and a climate-resilient city can look like. We’re learning more what that can look like on the prairies in a meaningful way,” he said.
Cities also have the power to mandate things like sustainable building standards, which can make a big difference. The majority of Calgary’s carbon footprint comes from the energy required to heat and power buildings, adding up to slightly more than two-thirds of emissions.
LaMontagne said strengthening regulations is one step, but it’s also important to build sustainability into a city in a way that people directly feel the benefits — like ensuring quick access from neighbourhoods to shops and services without having to drive there.
“The big move, which is on all of our collective behaviour, comes from making a city that’s just really wonderful to live sustainably in.”
— With files from Reuters
University of Alberta urban and regional planning faculty lecturer Neal LaMontagne echoed that cities are limited in some of the options they have for addressing climate change. But they also have a huge hand in transportation and development, which can be critical to the state of emissions.
“One of the courses I teach is planning history, and that’s the trajectory I’ve seen: from ‘How do we reduce our greenhouse gases?’ to ‘Let’s not think about urban environments and nature in opposition,'” he said.
“We know what a sustainable and a climate-resilient city can look like. We’re learning more what that can look like on the prairies in a meaningful way,” he said.
Cities also have the power to mandate things like sustainable building standards, which can make a big difference. The majority of Calgary’s carbon footprint comes from the energy required to heat and power buildings, adding up to slightly more than two-thirds of emissions.
LaMontagne said strengthening regulations is one step, but it’s also important to build sustainability into a city in a way that people directly feel the benefits — like ensuring quick access from neighbourhoods to shops and services without having to drive there.
“The big move, which is on all of our collective behaviour, comes from making a city that’s just really wonderful to live sustainably in.”
— With files from Reuters
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