New targets would see city reduce emissions 15 per cent in six years

A city councillor says new greenhouse gas emission targets proposed for Saskatoon can be seen as both ambitious and achievable.

The Saskatoon environmental advisory committee is proposing new goals, aiming to drop emissions by 15 per cent in six years and by 80 per cent by 2050.

The reductions are based on levels recorded in 2014, when the last inventory of the city’s greenhouse gas emissions was conducted.

“I understand the frustration when we don’t meet targets, but I think the initial (2023) target set out by (the committee) is attainable,” Coun. Sarina Gersher said.

Gersher sits on the environmental advisory committee, but noted she does not speak for the committee.

As its name implies, the committee offers advice on environmental matters to city council and its committees, but does not have the capacity to establish policy.

The committee meets today to discuss the new targets, which could then be passed along to council or a council committee for consideration.

The city conducted greenhouse gas inventories in 2003 and 2014. They revealed emissions rose by 12.6 per cent over those 11 years, to 3.85 million tonnes from 3.58 million tonnes.

Gersher said the advisory committee’s goal can be achieved without massive changes in individual behaviour through initiatives like the city’s plan for a recovery park near the landfill. The recovery park is intended to be a one-stop facility for recycling and waste diversion.

Committee members discussed the new targets with the city administration before determining they were attainable, she added.

The 2014 inventory showed that although overall emissions rose by more than 12 per cent, per capita emissions rose by three per cent over the 11 years. Saskatoon’s population grew by 26 per cent over the same time period.

Saskatoon’s per capita emissions

of 15.1 tonnes was nearly twice that of Winnipeg’s seven tonnes, but lower than Edmonton’s 19.2 tonnes, according to a 2016 city report on the 2014 inventory.

The environmental advisory committee backs overall targets instead of per capita goals to address emissions, a committee report says. The overall goal is to try to help limit the increase in global temperatures to 2 C, it adds.

The city council elected in October has adopted environmental sustainability as one of its 10 strategic priorities. Gersher and Coun. Mairin Loewen have been appointed to lead council efforts in this area.

“I think the environment is absolutely on everybody’s minds,” Gersher said. “I think there definitely is a recognition that we do have work to do and that we can be a leader at the city.”