Greater Victoria is in a state of climate change emergency, say local officials. And itB次元官网网址檚 time it be declared.
Victoria mayor Lisa Helps, Sooke mayor Maja Tait and Saanich coun. Ned Taylor brought a delegation to the Capital Regional DistrictB次元官网网址檚 Parks and Environment Committee today, recommending the committee bring a recommendation to the CRD that the region be declared an Emergency Climate Change area.
Helps said the declaration is not just symbolic, but would send a message that the region is aware of a climate emergency.
B次元官网网址淚f your house is on fireB次元官网网址nd you can see your house burning, you donB次元官网网址檛 stand around and have a debate about it, you throw water on it,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淲e have the solutions we need, we know what kind of water to throw on the fire, letB次元官网网址檚 start treating this, as a community, as the kind of emergency it is.B次元官网网址�
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The request follows a unanimous decision by the city of Vancouver in January to declare a climate emergency in the city and strengthen VancouverB次元官网网址檚 climate action plan.
Vancouver joined a growing list of cities in making the declaration, including seven in Australia, 11 in the United Kingdom and seven in the U.S.
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In October, a report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) described the harm a two degree rise in global temperature would cause compared to a 1.5 degree rise. But the report said it was still possible to limit the rising temperature if governments, organizations and authorities from the around the world worked together.B次元官网网址淓veryone has a role to play,B次元官网网址� reads a report to the CRD committee.
The report referenced Bristol, England, which declared a climate emergency in 2018 and asked the mayor to B次元官网网址減rovide the power and resourcesB次元官网网址� to make a 2030 carbon neutral target possible.
Helps, Tait and Taylor are seeking a similar target B次元官网网址� asking the CRD to take a leadership role in working towards climate neutrality by 2030, knocking 20 years off existing plans.
B次元官网网址淲ith additional staff and financial resources, the CRD could play an enhanced role in supporting local governments and other partners to understand collaborative opportunities, priorities and needs for climate action,B次元官网网址� reads the trioB次元官网网址檚 report.
Helps said the declaration would see the CRD request specific resources and authorities needed to make big changes B次元官网网址� an example brought up during the meeting was charging cars for driving on regional roads B次元官网网址� ultimately helping the provincial and federal governments close the gaps on their climate change goals.
If the CRD accepts the declaration it would ask all local governments to make similar declarations.
More than a dozen citizens came forward in support of the declaration during WednesdayB次元官网网址檚 meeting.
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