Councils take bigger aim at greenhouse gases

WATERLOO REGION — Environmental agencies propose to greatly accelerate the reduction of greenhouse gases in the next 32 years, to limit climate change and save the warming planet.

Pending approval by local governments, the long-term regional target aims to reduce emissions by 80 per cent between 2010 and 2050. That’s up to five times the pace of the current goal to reduce emissions by six per cent between 2010 and 2020. The current goal was mostly met by 2015.

“We need an aggressive target because the science says that we need to do stuff now, if we want to even exist as a human species,” said Tania Del Matto, director of the GreenHouse program at the University of Waterloo.

“We need to make some significant shifts in how our economy operates. Setting targets like this then sends the signals for innovation, for us to move forward.”

The ambitious target is being circulated to local governments ahead of a plan to achieve it. Kitchener and Waterloo councils have endorsed it. Other area councils are soon to debate it.

“It’s required based on the science,” said Tova Davidson, executive director of Sustainable Waterloo Region, which helps manage the regional climate action plan. “I do actually think it’s achievable.”

The nonprofit agency says most of the 1,800 people recently consulted by Climate Action Waterloo Region want emissions reduced by 70 per cent or more.

But residents don’t always behave this way. For example, residents have been acquiring more cars and driving more often since 2010 despite better transit, more bicycling lanes, and warnings of environmental peril.

Environmentalists concede the trend but don’t see it as evidence that drivers aren’t actually fretting about climate-changing

gases emitted by their vehicles. They remain persuaded that people will drive less if other transportation choices are built and if driving is made less convenient.

“If there were other options to make it easier, I would definitely ditch the car,” said Del Matto, who drives. “People are choosing the easy way right now because it’s easy. Even though morally and ethically we should be changing our behaviours.”

“It’s telling me that things like the LRT are important and necessary,” said Davidson. “It’s telling me that there’s some culture shifting that’s going to happen in the next 30 years.”

Both believe young people will support the lifestyle changes required to reduce emissions by 80 per cent.

The proposed emissions target is set high in part to persuade senior governments

to help pay for environmental projects. It’s expected funding may only flow to communities with high targets.

A community plan to slash greenhouse emissions would take shape after the target is adopted. Events outside the control of this community would drive most of the reduction, promoters say.

Examples include more electric cars, carbon taxes, better green energies and tougher building codes.

But local steps are anticipated. As an example, Coun. Jeff Henry is pressing Waterloo to upgrade building and renovation standards for its civic buildings, to use energy more efficiently.

“It’s clearly something we need to do,” said Henry. “Climate change is real. It is happening. It is something that will have dramatic and significant affects on all of us. And it will cost us far more down the road if we don’t address climate change than if we do.”