Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions

 

Governments at all levels are moving to address emissions of greenhouse gases (GHGs), in light of scientific evidence on how human activities are affecting the world's climate.  For more information on the science, see http://www.ipcc.ch/.

The Province of British Columbia has committed to actions to reduce GHG emissions by one third across the province by 2020 and adapt to ongoing climate change.  See http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/air/climate for further information.

BC communities are among Canada's leaders for taking action on climate change; for example, As of June 2007, BC local governments make up 30% (45 of 148)of the current membership of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities'(FCM) Partners for Climate Protection (PCP) program.  This demonstrates clear climate leadership as FCM has over 1,600 members while BC has only 185 local governments.  Also of note, one quarter of all local governments in BC have signed onto PCP.

The combustion of fossil fuels in road transportation and buildings, together with waste management, are major sources of GHG emissions (45% of the BC total) that fall under local government influence.

Communities can lower emissions by reducing the need for transportation (especially single occupant vehicles), improving energy efficiency of transportation and buildings, using more renewable energy, and avoiding and capturing landfill gas.

Annual submissions to CEA's Energy Aware Awards have identified significant GHG reductions for a range of actions, including:

Community Project	Greenhouse Gas Reduction
2006 Award Submissions
Maple Ridge fleet vehicles (hybrid purchases)	2 tonnes CO2 per vehicle replaced, 24 tonnes annual total
Surrey building retrofits	Planned GHG reduction of 3,308 tons annually
Langley Township green building	66% annual GHG reduction
2005 Award Submissions
North Vancouver energy and greenhouse gas action plan management plan	Annual municipal GHG emissions down 20% by 2010, community-wide emissions down 6%
Burnaby building retrofits	27% reduction in GHG emissions
Burnaby/New Westminster/ Vancouver greenway	Planned long-term annual reductions of 6,000 to 7,000 tonnes CO2
Earlier Submissions
Revelstoke biomass district energy (2004)	3,700 tonnes annual GHG emissions reduction
Delta/Vancouver landfill gas cogeneration (2002)	30,000 tonnes CO2e annual reduction

Improve Air Quality

Energy use is a major contributor to local air pollution. Most community energy planning options that reduce fossil fuel use and greenhouse gas emissions also result in improved air quality.  As communities move toward energy efficiency, and non-polluting renewable energy sources like solar, ground-source, and wind, and modern technology for burning biomass, air quality will improve.

Even at low levels, pollutants such as particulate matter (PM) and ground-level ozone can affect human health, the environment, and the economy.  Province-wide, transportation accounts for the majority of nitrous oxide (NOx) emissions, a key component in ozone. Industrial wood burning and residential wood stoves are significant sources of fine particulate emissions (PM_2.5).

Local governments are implementing a variety of approaches. Some have comprehensive airshed management plans; and some are integrating energy, greenhouse gas, and air quality planning.

For example, Revelstoke's community energy planning process was largely driven by poor air quality and the need to divert wood residue from the local silo burner.Now 10% of the wood waste is burned in a clean burning boiler, which provides heat for the mill’s steam kilns and a district heating system for buildings in Revelstoke’s downtown core.

With more than 90 per cent of its air pollution energy-related, Whistler is regarded as a leader in the development of an integrated energy, air quality, and greenhouse gas management plan.²

  

Notes:

1. BC Ministry of Water, Land and Air Protection (2005), 2000 British Columbia Emissions Inventory of Criteria Air Contaminants: Result Highlights,http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/air/airquality/#inventories;
2. Municipality of Whistler (2004), Integrated Energy, Air Quality & Greenhouse Gas Management Plan, http://www.sustainablecommunities.fcm.ca/files/Office_Documents/Action_plan.pdf.

Preserve Important Ecosystems

Focussing development in compact communities and avoiding sprawl can help preserve agricultural land and important ecosystems.

Natural features such as streams, lakes, wetlands, and forests provide vital "ecosystem services." These include fish and wildlife habitat, community water supply, filtering of air pollution, waste treatment, climate control, recreation and tourism, and cultural heritage.

In the Lower Fraser Valley, for example, it is estimated that every hectare of preserved wetland may be worth almost $23,000 annually for its filtering, flood control, and other benefits.¹

Note:

(1)   N. Olewiler (2004), The Value of Natural Capital in Settled Areas of Canada, Published by Ducks Unlimited Canada the Nature Conservancy of Canada, http://www.ducks.ca/aboutduc/news/archives/2004/041115.html.