The City of Rossland is heading in the right direction for climate action, after council adopted the Integrated Climate Action Plan unanimously.
Sustainability Commission Chair Matthew Watkins says the plan is a comprehensive guide for climate action in Rossland until 2035, pulling together previous climate action initiatives by the City and the community.
“The goal of the integrated climate action plan is to pull all the city efforts from climate mitigation- reducing our emissions, as well as climate adaptation- planning and different changes that need to happen in order to make sure that we can effectively adapt to the changing climate and trying to pull both of those policies into one document to make sure we can maximize synergies between the two and also make sure that actions in one area aren’t negatively affecting goals in another area.”
Rossland previously adopted a 100 per cent renewable energy plan, setting their emission reduction target of net zero by 2050.
A goal everyone will have a part to play.
“It’s important to remember that affordability is an issue that often comes up around climate change action and it’s really important to remember that we’re going to have to pay for this at some point.” said Watkins.
“For every dollar we spend now, it saves $12 in the future. So, it’s really about investing now in order to save money in the future.”
Three key messages presented to council include:
Municipal action is essential for mitigation and adaptation – Over 85 per cent of local emissions come from fossil fuels used in transportation and residential heating. As such, the city’s jurisdiction over land use zoning and building codes is crucial to meeting our emissions reduction targets.
Adaptation is not a substitute for mitigation – The effects of historical emissions are already visible and will likely intensify in the coming years. While adaptation will be necessary to safeguard the well-being of our residents and the prosperity of the community, it is equally important to continue to prioritize emissions reduction. If we are to avoid the most severe consequences of climate change, and minimize the need for costly adaptation, achieving our emissions reduction goals must remain a top priority.
If we can’t afford it now, they won’t be able to in the future – It’s crucial that we recognize the cost of inaction will far outweigh the cost of taking action now. By understanding this, we can shift the debate from a false choice between action and inaction to the reality of acting now or in the future.
“With these three principles centered in municipal efforts, the Sustainability Commission is confident that this Integrated Climate Action Plan will help the city make significant strides in its mitigation and adaptation efforts in the coming decade.” said Watkins.
You can view Rossland’s Integrated Climate Action Plan here.
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