Resilient St. John’s Community Climate Plan discussed at Committee of the Whole
On Wed. March 9, City of St. John’s Council and staff shared and discussed the final version of the Resilient St. John’s Climate Plan at Committee of the Whole. The purpose of the plan is to provide a 30-year strategy, with a 5-year action plan to reduce the community's greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, while reinforcing efforts to stabilize long-term household energy costs. Additionally, it provides strategies to further prepare the City to address challenges and opportunities from the impacts of climate change.
Revisions following the second round of public engagement which took place in late 2021 have been considered in this latest version of the plan.
“This document has been years in the making and we’re excited to finally move towards a stage of implementation, and I’d like to express my thanks to all staff and members of the public who engaged on this plan,” says Councillor Maggie Burton, Co-Council lead for Sustainability.
The Plan includes two main components:
- Our community’s path to mitigate its fair share of greenhouse gas emissions, including the financial approach to ensure the path to a resilient net-zero future is feasible, and addresses long-term trends in household energy costs and energy security.
- Our community’s adaptation, which means preparing for the physical, economic, and ecological changes already underway from climate change.
The plan estimates that that there would be a $1.78B economic net benefit for the city.
“Our city has a key responsibility as the capital of Newfoundland & Labrador, to be a leader in meeting the provinces GHG reduction targets by 2030 and 2050. I believe this plan helps us get there,” says Councillor Burton.
The City of St. John’s would like to thank and acknowledge the feedback and work from the public, city staff, and Sustainability Solutions Group. Council will vote for the adoption of the Resilient St. John’s Climate Plan on March 21, 2022. Visit our Engage page for more information.