Ontario Construction News staff writer
In support of the Community Energy and Emissions Plan (CEEP), the City of Greater Sudbury has released a plan outlining climate change actions over the next five years.
The CEEP is the long-term plan to reduce carbon emissions and pollution and create a “clean energy future”. It responds to council’s climate emergency declaration in May 2019, which included a commitment to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. That means reducing greenhouse gas emissions caused by human activity to as close to zero as possible, and removing remaining emissions from the atmosphere.
The action plan was presented to council Feb. 9.
“Greater Sudbury has joined the ranks of thousands of municipalities around the world taking action to reduce energy and GHG emissions and stimulate a green economy,” said Mayor Brian Bigger. “This action plan sets out municipal efforts in particular, but climate change affects all of us, and achieving a net-zero Greater Sudbury by 2050 will very much rely on the combined efforts of the entire community – government, businesses, not-for-profits and residents.”
The five-year action identifies 18 goals in eight strategic sectors:
- Compact, complete communities
- Energy efficient buildings
- Water, wastewater, and solid waste
- Low-carbon transportation
- Industrial efficiency
- Local clean energy generation
- Low-carbon energy procurement
- Carbon sequestration
Actions are divided into categories including plans and studies; education and outreach; policies, guidelines and standards; procedures; programs and projects; and partnerships and engagement. Some of the most immediate municipal-led actions include the ongoing LED streetlight conversion, tiny homes policy review, energy audit at Pioneer Manor, and development of a green procurement strategy.