Saskatoon should follow Regina’s lead

Saskatoon increased its ambition in reducing greenhouse gas emissions in 2017, adopting a target of 80 per cent reductions below 2014 levels by 2050.

This month, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change released its latest special report and its conclusion was clear: the world needs to make drastic reductions in emissions by 2030 in order to be on track to reach net-zero emissions by mid-century.

This is necessary in order to avoid an increase in global average temperature of more than 1.5 C above pre-industrial levels, warming above which is regarded as catastrophic.

In short, we need to increase our ambition yet again and meet it with action.

Thinking ahead to mid-century, we might look to our friends in the capital for inspiration.

Recently, Regina city council unanimously passed a motion committing to becoming a 100-per-cent renewable city by 2050. This is a positive step, recognizing the reality of where we need to be headed.

The sooner we chart a path to being fully renewable, the more feasible such a necessary goal becomes. Now one hopes the rest of the province follows suit.

There is no reason Saskatoon should not make the same commitment.

This would simply acknowledge the challenge before us, and enable planning to get underway.

When have Saskatonians ever been happy to let Regina lead the way?

Justin Fisher, Saskatoon