“We are not on track to meet corporate greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets.” – Emily Cormier, Sustainability Coordinator, Marie, Sault Ste.
Despite 41 energy efficiency projects initiated by the city government since 2019, greenhouse gas emissions from municipal sources have increased, not decreased.
“We are not on track to meet corporate GHGs. [greenhouse gas] The emissions reduction target has been approved by the council as 10% by 2030,” the city’s sustainability coordinator Emily Cormier warned at the city council on Monday.
In a 96-page report, Cormier revealed that emissions from city-owned sources increased by about 10% from 2017 to 2022.
Last year, the city’s GHG emissions reached 11,364 tons of CO2 equivalent.
This equates to 16 million liters of gasoline, or the annual energy use of 8,852 households.
Cormier reported only GHG emissions from city facilities and operations.
Her report, released Monday, does not include emissions from heavy industrial vehicles or non-official vehicles.
The city’s GHG reduction plan, approved in December 2020, calls for a 10% reduction in municipal emissions and a 5% reduction across communities by 2030.
The city is also committed to net zero reductions (carbon neutral) by 2050.
“Emission trends show a steady increase in emissions through 2018, followed by a slight decline in 2019. Then during the COVID-19 lockdown period (2020 and 2021), It has visibly declined and is rising again in 2022,” Cormier reported.
Cormier said most of the city’s emissions come from municipal vehicles and equipment.
“The organizational commitment to reducing fuel consumption (gasoline and diesel) and greening vehicles and equipment (such as electrification) is essential to lowering these numbers,” she says.
According to Cormier, the city’s second largest source of emissions (36%) comes from buildings.
The reason, she says, is the consumption of natural gas.
“Reducing these numbers requires a focused effort to reduce our use of natural gas,” Cormier said. Suit Today.
According to Cormier, the increase in local building emissions is partially due to new corporate assets, such as the downtown plaza and expansion of the Twin Pad Arena.
“Achieving corporate emissions reduction targets and contributing to community emissions goals will require a more cohesive and proactive corporate financial commitment and the efforts of all departments and councils,” she said. He spoke to Mayor Shoemaker and councilors.
“From 2017 to 2021, as a result of climate change, a degree-day analysis of heating and cooling clearly shows that Sault Ste. Marie has milder, shorter winters and longer, hotter summers. “
“Our goals are modest,” Ward 5 Coun said. Corey Gurdy.
“We are not on track to meet them. For this council and future councils to make sure we are doing our part, we need to think ahead, not wait.” We need to keep it,” Gardi said.
Cormier’s report will be submitted to the UN Urban Race to Zero Pledge as agreed by the City Council in November 2021.
