Climate Action
Summerland is committed to climate action and has signed on to the BC Climate Action Charter. Summerland created its first Climate Action Plan in March of 2011, and dedicates 0.001% of annual operating expenses to greenhouse gas emissions reductions projects.
Summerland's Community Energy & Emissions Reduction Plan was finalized in February 2020 as was the Corporate Energy & Emissions Management Plan in March 2021, following consultation with key stakeholders, staff, community members, Council, and Simon Fraser University's Adaptation to Climate Change Team.
Summerland is also a member of the Community Energy Association (CEA).
The Partners for Climate Change Protection (PCP)
The PCP program is a network of over 450 municipalities committed to taking action on climate change. Through our membership with the program, we have access to resources such as tools, guides and networking events to help us reduce local greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions at the corporate and community level.
As part of our commitment with the program, we are progressing through the five-step PCP Milestone Framework. The five milestones are:
• Milestone 1: Creating a baseline emissions inventory
• Milestone 2: Setting an emissions reduction target
• Milestone 3: Developing a local climate action plan
• Milestone 4: Implementing a local climate action plan
• Milestone 5: Monitoring and reporting results
We’ve made great progress in our fight against climate change since joining the program. In 2020 the Community Energy and Emission Reduction Plan (CEERP) and in 2021 the Corporate Energy and Emission Management Plan (CEEMP) was approved. Our municipal council approved the following targets in GHG reductions:
Short-term target: 18% by 2025 (community target), and 25% by 2025 (corporate target)
Long-term target: 80% by 2050 (corporate and community target)
We’ve reached milestones 1 & 2 (2020), and 3 (2021).
Learn more about the PCP program here: https://www.pcp-ppc.ca
PCP is a partnership between the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) and ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability. PCP receives financial support from the Government of Canada and ICLEI Canada.
Climate Action Recognition Program
The District of Summerland has been awarded Level 3 recognition by the Green Communities Committee (GCC) Climate Action Recognition Program for undertaking significant climate action to reduce GHG emissions in the 2018 reporting year.
The Green Communities Committee (GCC) Climate Action Recognition Program was launched in 2012 to provide the GCC with an opportunity to review and publicly recognize the progress and achievements of each Climate Action Charter signatory.
Under the Program, Charter signatories who demonstrate progress on their Charter commitments are eligible to qualify for one of four levels of recognition:
Level 1: Demonstrating Progress on Charter Commitments
All local governments that demonstrate progress on fulfilling one or more of their Charter commitments will receive a letter from the GCC acknowledging their accomplishments.
Level 2: Measuring GHG Emissions
Local governments that achieve level 1, have completed a corporate carbon inventory for the reporting year and demonstrate that they are familiar with the Community Energy and Emissions Inventory for their community will receive a letter from the GCC acknowledging their accomplishments and a ‘Climate Action Community 2018’ logo, for use on websites, letter head and similar.
Level 3: Accelerating Progress on Charter Commitments
Local governments that achieve levels 1 and 2 and demonstrate significant climate action (corporately or community wide) to reduce GHG emissions in the reporting year will receive a ‘Climate Action Community – Accelerating Progress 2018’ logo, for use on websites, letter head and similar.
Level 4: Achievement of Carbon Neutrality
Local governments that achieve carbon neutrality in the reporting year will receive a letter from the GCC acknowledging their accomplishments and a ‘Climate Action Community – Carbon Neutral 2018’ logo, for use on websites, letter head and similar.
Billion Dollar Green Challenge
The District of Summerland has become the first Canadian governmental body to join the “Billion Dollar Green Challenge Network”. The Challenge encourages governmental agencies, universities, and other institutions across North America to invest a combined total of one billion dollars in self-managed “green revolving funds” that finance energy and resource efficiency improvements.
Blue Dot Movement Declaration
The District of Summerland has joined with over 158 municipal governments across Canada in endorsing the David Suzuki Foundation’s Blue Dot Movement Declaration. This declaration recognizes the right to a healthy environment, and affirms the District’s commitment to decision making that considers potential impacts to human health and to the environment. Council Declaration Blue Dot Movement to read the full declaration.
Get Involved
The Community Climate Action Advisory Committee (CCAC) meets once a month. The role of the committee is to provide a local perspective and advice to Council with respect to achieving community-wide emission reduction targets, and other climate related objectives. If you would like to join the committee a yearly call-out for new member(s) occurs in March with a one or two-year term commitment.
If you would like to be added to the Climate Action Mailing list, please send an email to the contact below.
Contact
Tel: 250-404-4057
Email: climate.action@summerland.ca