Climate Governance Project Report

PURPOSE The purpose of this project is to conduct research that contributes to policy development supporting the implementation of the City of Kamloops’ Community Climate Action Plan (CCAP) Strategy 7B: Climate Governance action: “Establish a carbon budget framework, internal carbon price, and/or other tools that apply a climate lens to budget planning and decision making and support accountability for meeting corporate emissions reduction targets”. This report is divided into two chapters. Chapter 1 will discuss the available policy options, their strengths, shortcomings, and feasibility, and where these have been implemented or used already. Chapter 2 is in three sections. The first section will provide brief case studies of municipalities that have adopted GHG emissions reduction models. The second section discusses funding options for implementing climate initiatives. Finally, the third option provides an overview of sample policies for transitioning municipal fleet to zero-emissions vehicles, and for implementing building energy retrofit programs.Note: The primary focus of these reports is to present options for reducing emissions in City of Kamloops operations and decision-making. Having city operations reach carbon neutral will not be enough to reach the climate targets for the city identified in the CCAP. Emissions will also need to be reduced among residents and private sector businesses. BACKGROUND Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions linked to human activities are a driving force of global climate change. The impacts of global climate change are already being felt around the world. Increased frequency and severity of extreme weather events in recent years have been linked to climate change. Some regions are experiencing global climate impacts at accelerated rates. Canada is experiencing warming at twice the rate of the global average. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has projected that the average global temperature increase must be limited to 1.5°C to avoid catastrophic environmental impacts. Nearly 200 countries, including Canada, have pledged to drastically reduce GHG emissions, with an ultimate target of achieving net-zero emissions by 2050. Climate goals and targets cannot be accomplished by the Canadian federal government alone. The impacts of climate change are felt everywhere and impact all levels of government. Action from municipalities and regional districts is essential to mitigate climate change and to increase adaptation and resilience to climate impacts. This report is associated with the Researcher-in-Residence initiative, an on-going collaboration between Thompson Rivers University and the City of Kamloops municipalities and regional districts is essential to mitigate climate change and to increase adaptation and resilience to climate impacts. The southern interior region of British Columbia (BC) is semi-arid and prone to hot summers. Global climate impacts are expected to increase average temperatures and decrease precipitation in this region. This report was written in August of 2021, the end of a summer where BC experienced record temperatures and dry spells, followed by a historic wildfire season in the Kamloops region and across the Interior. CITY OF KAMLOOPS COMMUNITY CLIMATE ACTION PLAN (CCAP)The City of Kamloops adopted the CCAP on June 29, 2021 - the hottest day ever recorded in Kamloops. The CCAP sets out emissions targets and deadlines and assesses the major sources of emissions in Kamloops. Kamloops’ emissions targets are to reduce community GHG emissions to 30% below 2007 levels by 2030 and to reduce GHG emissions to 80% below 2007 levels by 2050.8F9 The CCAP notes that a goal of net-zero community GHG emissions by 2050 is recommended by the IPCC and that the target for the City of Kamloops may be updated to be more ambitious in the future with new technology or policy changes.9F10 The CCAP also set targets to reduce carbon emissions from municipal operations (i.e. fuel from City-owned vehicles and energy use in municipal buildings) by 40% by 2030 and 100% by 2050. The CCAP identified that in 2017 the community sectors with the highest emissions in Kamloops are Transportation (66%), Buildings (29%), and Solid Waste (5%). It also indicated that in 2017, Kamloops’ per capita emissions were 11% higher than the provincial average.