VANCOUVER, B.C. – At yesterday’s City Council meeting, Green Councillor Adriane Carr amended Vancouver’s Climate Emergency Action Plan (CEAP) to direct staff to produce detailed carbon budgets and annual reporting on the costs and benefits of the city’s climate actions.

The language for the amendment was taken directly from Carr’s motion, Climate Action Costs and Benefits, which was scheduled to be debated later in the day. “I had to table my motion early,” said Carr, “or risk it being called out of order because of the surprise motion tabled by Clr Kirby-Yung that included a few similar ideas.” Carr’s amendment passed unanimously and Carr subsequently withdrew her motion from the afternoon’s agenda.

“My mission this term is clear,” said Carr. “I want to see our city on track to meet our GHG reduction goals before this term ends. Without annual reports to enable adjustments in actions and budgets we will continue to fail.

“I’m so tired of watching Vancouver miss our climate goals. During my twelve years on Council, I’ve seen great plans come before us that include the necessary targets scientists are calling for, but I’ve yet to see us meet them. In fact, with staff reporting today that Vancouver is only 7 percent below 2007 emissions, we’re going backwards” 

According to C40 Cities, a carbon budget is the cumulative amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions permitted within a specified timeframe. If a city has established emission reduction targets as part of a climate action planning process, this will determine its carbon budget.

“A Climate Action Plan is not complete without carbon budgets as well as cost-benefit analyses of different carbon-cutting measures, to see which measures are most effective. I’ve asked staff to consider effectiveness not only in terms of reduced emissions, but also in terms of maximizing positive benefits for people including the most vulnerable in our city.”

Carr’s amendment further directs staff to thoroughly inform Council before the 2023 Budget debate on how investing in climate action benefits the city and its residents, and how it will help avoid or reduce costs down the road. 

“I was hoping this information would help convince the new Council to continue to support Vancouver’s leadership and commitment to the Sue Big Oil municipal joint action lawsuit, but I am not holding my breath after the ABC majority essentially voted to kill the Climate Justice Charter today.”

After receiving a report and recommendations at today’s Council meeting on A Climate Justice Charter for Vancouver, the ABC majority removed direction to staff to implement the recommendations from the report, and voted instead to simply receive the report for information.

“The climate crisis disproportionately affects people and neighborhoods across our city, with the most vulnerable carrying the heaviest burdens. I am extremely disappointed in ABC for not approving a Climate Justice Charter for Vancouver; it’s needed to alleviate the unequal burdens created by climate change.”

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Related:

Carr’s Motion: Climate Action Costs and Benefits

Second Annual Climate Emergency Implementation Update

• Staff Presentation 
• Handout 

A Climate Justice Charter for Vancouver

• Report 
• Staff Presentation