Council Appoints Environmental and Sustainability Expert Panel

Tuesday, March 31, 2020 - 5:30 AM

City Council approved membership for a new Environmental and Sustainability Expert Panel.

The panel will include a lead staff person appointed by Senior Executive and seven expert residents serving as public members.
 

Panelist Area of Expertise
Joel Finnis, PhD Climate Science & Resilience
Dennis Knight, MSc, MCIP Sustainable Urban Planning & Economic Growth
Kieran Hanley, MBA Sustainable Economic Growth
Krista Langthorne, BA, SEBT Resilience & Natural Resources
Pablo Navarro Socio-cultural & Quality of Life
Joseph Daraio, PhD, PEng Sustainable Urban Planning & Resilience
Michel Wawrzkow, PEng, PGeo Natural Environment & Resilience

The application process occurred during the period November 2019 to February 2020.

The Environment and Sustainability Experts Panel will provide their expertise, opinions and perspectives on environmental and sustainability matters through reports to the Committee of the Whole. They will also review environmental requirements for new development or re-development within the City when referred by Council or through the development review process and support the development and implementation of the City of St. John’s Sustainability Plan.

“We are very pleased with the quality of applicants for this new and important panel,” said Councillor Ian Froude, Council Lead for Public Works and Sustainability. “Council looks forward to hearing from the panel as they provide their expert recommendations on best practices enabling evidence-based decision making to support our environmental and sustainability goals and objectives.”

The terms of reference are available online and reports of the panel will be posted on our Sustainability page, when available.

The City of St. John’s is committed to a city that is sustainable today and for future generations; economically, environmentally and financially. This project is identified in the Our City, Our Future Strategic Plan under the goal to be financially responsible and accountable and to  plan for land use and preserve and enhance the natural and built environment/ facilitate and create the conditions that drive the economy.