A Guide to Refreshing the City of Ottawas 2004 Air Quality and Climate Change Management Plan

Our Air Quality and Climate Change Management Plan1 (AQCCMP)first developed in 2004 and including 2007 and 2012 greenhouse gas emission reduction targets2is out-of-date and needs a refresh. Thankfully, City Hall is rising to the challenge and has organized a Greenhouse Gas Roundtable on March 23. We hope this event will be the kick-off to a refreshed climate change strategy for the City of Ottawa. The good news is that the existing plan contains all of the essential components and all we need to do is update the targets, as well as the programs and activities designed to move us towards those targets. Fortunately, during the years since 2004 experience in cities across Canada has accumulated a rich suite of examples of initiatives that can be taken.3 Of course the City needs to allocate funding to ensure successful implementation of the programs and activities, too. The old plans essential components that we want to build on are that it: 1. Acknowledges that the City of Ottawa has a role to play in reducing both corporate and community greenhouse gas emissions. 2. Acknowledges that the 2004 AQCCMP builds on pre-amalgamation plans of the jurisdictions that currently make-up the City of Ottawa. 3. Details the threats posed by climate change and the benefits of taking action. 4. Acknowledges the overwhelming scientific consensus surrounding anthropogenic (human induced) climate change and the decisive role that burning oil, coal and gas plays in driving global warming. 5. Acknowledges that all levels of government need to work together to reduce community greenhouse gas emissions. 6. Puts forward a clear statement that the City of Ottawa wants to be a leader in the fight against climate change. 7. Sets specific targets for reducing both corporate and community4 emissions and outlines a plan for measuring and monitoring greenhouse gas emission reductions. 8. Outlines the areas where the City of Ottawa can have an impact on corporate and community emissions and details strategies and specific actions that the City can take to reduce corporate and community emissions. 9. Acknowledges that strong partnerships between the City of Ottawa and key stakeholders will be essential to the successful realization of the AQCCMPs objectives. 10. Acknowledges that the City should be working on both climate change mitigation (reducing emissions in order to help avoid catastrophic climate change) and adaptation (adapting to those impacts that are already unavoidable). It is important to note the City did not achieve the previous targets it committed to in the 2004 AQCCMP, at either the corporate or community levels. In 2012, Council received the 2004 and 2008 Greenhouse Gas Inventories, which showed progress at the corporate level (against a 30% target, a 12.5% greenhouse gas reduction was achieved, principally by capture and utilization of landfill gas) but not much progress at all at the community level (community emissions representing 95% of all local emissions increased 0.9%).5 Moving forward, if the City wants to be more impactful
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City of Ottawa. Air Quality and Climate Change Management Plan. 2004. http://ottawa.ca/sites/ottawa.ca/files/migrated/files/cap078824.pdf. In the 2004 AQCCMP (see page 32), the City committed to achieving a 20% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions (below 1990 levels) by 2012 at the 'community' level. The 'corporate' target (the City's own operations) was more aggressive, 20% below 1990 levels by the year 2007. 3 The Federation of Canadian Municipalities maintains a database with over 700 examples of projects http://www.fcm.ca/home/programs/partners-forclimate-protection/national-measures-report.htm 4 In the 2004 AQCCMP, the City of Ottawa defined corporate emissions as those originated from the city governments own activities. Community emissions refer to all of us, as well as all the businesses, etc operating in Ottawa. 5 City of Ottawa. 2004 and 2008 GREENHOUSE GAS INVENTORIES, REDUCTION MEASURES AND APPROACH TO FUTURE TARGETS. 2012. http://ottawa.ca/calendar/ottawa/citycouncil/ec/2012/05-03/B-IPD%20-%20GHG.htm.

at the community level it need not look much further than the 2004 plans Strategic Directions, which set out in detail the areas of our society causing greenhouse gas emissions as well as potential strategies for reducing them6: a. Transportation: o Use of alternative fuels and new engine technologies; o Increased use of public low or zero emission transit; and o Transportation Demand Management i.e. telecommuting, biking, walking, roller blading, car pooling. b. Building Sector: o Better Buildings Partnership; o Residential Energy Use; and o Green Buildings. c. Waste Management: o Reduction of packaging, a comprehensive waste reduction with composting and recycling programs; o Landfill gas utilization, aerobic digestion; and o Green procurement. d. Alternative energy and community energy planning /conservation programs: o Efficient appliances; o Reduction of water use; o District energy; o Renewable Energy; and o Co-generation. e. Sustainable land use planning and community greening: o Compact development and mixed zoning; o Carbon Sinks through tree growing programs; and o Urban design for energy conservation. f. Air quality issues: o Winter Air Quality programs; o Smog Alert programs; o Noise and Odours; o Street Cleaning; and o Pollen reduction measures. To be most impactful at reducing community greenhouse gases, Ecology Ottawa believes the City of Ottawa would be wise to focus on a) Transportation, b) the Building Sector, d) Alternative energy and community energy planning /conservation programs, and e) Sustainable land use planning and community greening, although the other elements of the previous Strategic Directions are also important and worthy of some attention. Concerning air quality, for example, Ottawa Public Health should have an important role to play and should be asked to help devise a plan to improve the quality of our air. Finally, as the nations capital, Ottawa should emulate the climate change leadership being displayed by other Canadian cities including Guelph7, Toronto8 and Vancouver9 10 and learn from their relevant plans and related programs. Ottawa should also move quickly to implement the various policies and programs in its 2012 Green Building Promotion ProgramFull Report.11
For more information contact Trevor Hach, policy coordinator, Ecology Ottawa, 613-789-0604, trevor.hache@ecologyottawa.ca.

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City of Ottawa. Air Quality and Climate Change Management Plan. 2004. http://ottawa.ca/sites/ottawa.ca/files/migrated/files/cap078824.pdf. City of Guelph. Community Energy Initiative. http://guelph.ca/living.cfm?subCatID=1831&smocid=2407. City of Toronto. Climate Change, Clean Air and Sustainable Energy Action Plan. www.toronto.ca/changeisintheair/pdf/clean_air_action_plan.pdf. 9 City of Vancouver. Programs to help you reduce your footprint. http://vancouver.ca/green-vancouver/programs-to-help-reduce-your-footprint.aspx. 10 City of Vancouver. Greenest City 2020 Action Plan. http://vancouver.ca/green-vancouver/greenest-city-2020-action-plan.aspx. 11 City of Ottawa. Green Building Promotion ProgramFull Report. 2012. http://ottawa.ca/sites/ottawa.ca/files/migrated/files/cap178204.pdf.