Climate Change
COOL COMMUNITIES
By: Jonathan Williams
Canada needs to stop farting around and
cut back on the gas. Cool Communities is the new national program the Sierra Club of
Canada and all its Chapters will be launching in 2008 to promote local action on Climate
Change. The objective is to engage municipal governments, non-profit organizations and
citizens in a national network that will generate momentum for science-based greenhouse gas
emissions reductions.
The Cool Communities Program will provide
incentives and assistance to municipalities for commitment to reduce greenhouse gas
emissions from municipal operations and community emissions to 30% below 1990 levels by the
year 2020. European countries have promised to adopt this 30% target if other countries like
Canada pledge to join them. This target corresponds to the current scientific consensus on
what is necessary to keep global atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide below 450
parts per million and avoid a two degree increase in global temperatures. More than two
degrees of warming could spur a run-away greenhouse effect through natural positive feedback
such as methane emissions from melting permafrost.
Municipalities that join the program will be
declared Cool Communities. There will then be a flexible five-step process - that can be
completed in any order - to achieve improved program status and further recognition. The
five steps are:
- Complete an inventory of greenhouse gas emissions;
- Complete an Action Plan or Action List outlining short term initiatives to
reduce emissions;
- Pass a bylaw committing municipal council to consider the greenhouse gas
emissions impacts of all decisions and to avert any increase in per capita
emissions for the community;
- Complete half of the required initiatives from the Action List;
- Complete all the Initiatives from the Action List;
This process has been designed to complement
the Federation of Canadian Municipalities’ Partners for Climate Protection Program that
already has 150 participating municipalities from across Canada. Cool Communities Status
will improve upon completion of each step. Municipalities will become “Aware”,
“Alert”, “Active”, “Advanced” and then “Accomplished”. Recognition is
critical for convincing municipalities to join the program.
The Sierra Club of Canada aims also to
empower local community members and Club members with this program by having Cool
Communities Action Teams working in the communities. Sierra Club of Canada Local Groups,
local organizations, or groups of volunteers that come together around this specific program
may form Action Teams. Action Teams will work to encourage their municipality to participate
in the program and assist the community in meeting program objectives. Action Teams will
recommend municipalities for recognition of completed program steps, which includes
providing approval for Action List initiatives and verifying their completion. The Sierra
Club of Canada is creating a Menu of Solutions document outlining practical initiatives that
can be implemented to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve urban environment.
Municipalities would be asked to undertake initiatives in each of the five Menu of
Solutions categories: Energy Efficiency and Sustainable Building, Transportation Solutions,
Community Design and Management, Planting Solutions and Renewable Energy. Action Teams will
also assist municipalities in getting their communities involved through events and working
with the media. The Cool Communities Action Toolkit is a guide for Action Teams outlining
their role and providing advice on media management and event planning.
The Sierra Club of Canada will launch the
program publicly in 2008 and is calling for volunteers and communities to get involved.
Climate Change is a global environmental problem of immeasurable significance and the Sierra
Club of Canada is developing this national campaign to get significant and necessary
emissions reductions started at the local level. If you would like to get involved you are
encouraged to contact the Sierra Club of Canada - Atlantic Canada Chapter.
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