World news – Victoria must take bold action to meet climate action goals, says a new report

Victoria has reduced greenhouse gas emissions by 11 per cent since 2007, but will have to double that pace to meet its long-term needs. A new report shows that long-term goals to combat climate change.

The City’s Climate Leadership Plan, adopted in 2018, committed the city to reducing emissions by 80% by 2050..

A progress report received by the council on Thursday said that the city was able to reduce its emissions despite the increasing population, but recent data indicate that these gains are slowing.

said Laura Berndt, city director for Energy and Climate Action.

City Hall has done a better job than the wider community, cutting corporate emissions by 24 percent since 2007.

But municipal operations account for only 1 percent of the city’s total emissions, so the real test is to get residents and businesses to make similar gains, the report says..

Mayor Lisa Helbs said in an interview Thursday: « I think we have a lot of work to do to support, inspire and help the community – homeowners in the private sector, apartment owners – to achieve the goals. ». . “This is the real challenge.

She said people should start thinking about climate change as a health problem and take it as seriously as the ongoing pandemic.

“If we believe the effects of COVID are bad . . . The health effects of the climate are potentially catastrophic.

Helps welcome Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s announcement Thursday of a new bill to legislate net-zero emissions by 2050.

She urged the federal government to partner with cities to achieve their goals.

She said, « It’s a great ad today. ». To actually do this, hold local governments accountable and give us the resources to fulfill those responsibilities.

Universe. Jeff Young has expressed concern that the federal bill and the City’s Climate Command plan are distracting attention from real work to combat climate change..

« Our people have provided our climate change program in some detail, » he said.. “I can get what I have more quickly. Namely: raising the carbon tax until you achieve the emission reduction you need.

Young said governments love programs and goals, but what they really need to do is send a price signal to Canadians so they can make the right decision to cut their carbon emissions. . The truth is, he said, most Canadians don’t have emissions specialists to advise.

“They simply look at the price of cars, they look at the price of gasoline. They look at the price of their home upgrades, they look at the price of oil, gas or electricity, and they make their decisions in light of that. ”. .

The aid agreed on the need for a stronger carbon tax, but said people also need incentives. Substantial emissions reductions can be achieved, for example, if regional and regional governments can find a way to persuade owners of apartments and old homes to retrofit their buildings and make them more energy efficient..

“So, yes to raise the carbon tax to a reasonable level, but that alone will not address the problem,” she said. This will help, but there is still a carrot aspect that needs to be done as well.

Justin Trudeau, Carbon Neutrality, Canada, Liberal Party of Canada, Greenhouse Gases, Jonathan Wilkinson