The 2018 National Measures Report shows that Canadian cities and communities of all sizes are making great strides in climate action. The report compiles information on the actions members of the Partners for Climate Protection program are taking to help lower Canada’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
This year’s report includes 164 projects that aim to reduce GHG emissions at the local level, both in municipal operations and in the way Canadians use energy in their homes, in businesses and on the move. These initiatives reduced GHG emissions by 721,510 tonnes CO2e per year. This is equivalent to:
- Recycling over 35,000 garbage trucks of waste instead of it being dumped into the landfill
- Taking over 150,000 passenger vehicles off the road for one year
- The amount of carbon stored in over 340,000 hectares of forest in one year
The measures reported included both corporate initiatives, which target emissions from municipal operations and services, and community-wide initiatives, which target emissions from the community at large. Community-wide initiatives made up less than half of all reported measures but account for 95 percent of total GHG reductions.
Along with reducing the impacts of climate change, municipalities saw other community benefits and savings, including $2.88 million in annual savings generated by reducing emissions from streetlights, municipally-owned vehicles and buildings such as arenas, community centres, schools and other public facilities.
Read the 2018 National Measures Report to find out more about the results of initiatives in Canadian municipalities large and small.
The Partners for Climate Protection program is a partnership between ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability and the Federation of Canadian Municipalities.