Download Climate-Page-revised - Toronto Atmospheric Fund

What causes climate change?
Increased levels of greenhouse gases – or GHGs – in the Earth’s atmosphere are causing climate change.
GHGs include naturally-occurring gases such as water vapour, carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous
oxide as well as human-made substances such as refrigerants and solvents. Just as a greenhouse traps
sunlight to keep plants warm during the winter, GHGs in the atmosphere prevent heat from the sun
from escaping back into space. This is referred to as “the greenhouse effect.” While GHGs make our
planet warm enough to sustain life, human activity is drastically increasing these gases in the Earth’s
atmosphere, de-stabilizing global weather patterns. Ancient glaciers are melting and sea levels are
rising. We are experiencing more frequent and more severe storms, fires, droughts and floods that are
altering entire ecosystems and damaging people’s homes and livelihoods around the world. Human
activities that accelerate the rise in GHGs include burning fossil fuels to produce electricity, heat our
buildings, and power our cars, along with deforestation and intensive agriculture. For more information
about the climate change problem see these links:
350.org
Canada’s Action on Climate Change
David Suzuki Foundation
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
Ontario Ministry of Environment and Climate Change
World Wildlife Fund Canada
How is climate change affecting Toronto?
The 2011 City of Toronto Future Weather and Climate Driver study and Clean Air Partnership Study
discuss how climate change will affect weather patterns in Toronto in the future. The reports show that
we will continue to see milder winters overall, have more frequent and intense precipitation, and
experience more extreme weather events in general.
We can already see new trends in weather. More intense and longer summer heat waves put vulnerable
populations at risk. Toronto Public Health notes numerous health issues brought about by climate
change that are associated with extreme heat, poor air quality, food and water contamination,
infectious diseases borne by insects, ticks and rodents, injury and illness arising from flooding, and even
adverse effects on mental health. In response, Toronto Public Health is supporting both a heat alert and
response program and will be initiating Extreme Cold Weather Alerts in 2014. In addition to more
extremes of heat and cold, more frequent, heavy rainfalls have poured into the sewer systems causing
local flooding. Cleaning up after storms has become increasingly costly for homeowners and for the City.
For example, damage caused by the July 2013 rain storm was estimated at $65 million. The same year,
the ice storm in December destroyed power lines and left more than 300,000 people without electricity
– some for an extended period – while temperatures dipped to minus 20C. The estimated cost of
damages from this storm was $106 million.
We are also witnessing a greater number of invasive species, like the emerald ash borer, which are
upseting local ecological systems. Previously unable to survive the Toronto winter, the emerald ash
borer is now thriving in Toronto and destroying mature ash trees – a common species of shade tree. The
loss of mature trees increases the heat load in the city and reduces property values.
Graph:
2011 Toronto GHG Emissions
12%
13%
38%
Electricity
37%
Natural Gas
Transportation
Waste
What generates greenhouse gas emissions in Toronto?
In Toronto, most of our GHG emissions come from four sources – from fossil fuels burned in cars and
trucks (38%); natural gas used to heat our buildings (37%); electricity generation (13%); and from
landfill gas and transportation emissions associated with waste management (12%).
We also cause GHG emissions to be released elsewhere when we purchase and consume products such
as food, clothing, cars, electronics or other goods produced in other places.
Does Toronto have greenhouse gas reduction targets?
In 2007, Toronto City Council unanimously approved ambitious greenhouse gas reduction targets: a 6%
reduction by 2012 (the Kyoto target); 30% reduction by 2020; and an 80% reduction by 2050, all
compared to the amount of greenhouse gases produced by the City in 1990. The City established these
targets based on agreement in the scientific community that reductions of this level will be required to
stop dangerous climate change. But meeting these targets is a very tall order, given how quickly
Toronto’s population is growing and how rapidly development is being built.
Is Toronto meeting its targets?
Toronto has exceeded its Kyoto target of a 6% reduction: GHG emissions are 16% lower than they were
in 1990 – despite major growth in the City during this time period. This amazing achievement is the
result of strong conservation efforts, improved fuel and appliance efficiency standards, increased waste
diversion, and, most notably, an enormous reduction in greenhouse gas and air pollution thanks to the
Province of Ontario’s phase out of coal-fired electricity generation. Coal phase-out has substantially “decarbonized the electricity grid” in Ontario by taking the dirtiest electricity offline. Our 16% reduction
brings us more than half-way to our 2020 target, but achieving another overall 14% reduction within the
next few years will require an intensive effort.
[Bar One] What should we do to reduce GHG emissions in Toronto?
We can deploy a number of key strategies to address climate change and cut emissions:
Retrofit buildings to improve energy efficiency. Many buildings in Toronto use far more energy than is
necessary due to aging or inefficient equipment, poor operation and upkeep, or poor building design. A
concerted effort to reduce the amount of energy wasted in Toronto’s building stock is the cheapest and
fastest way to reduce GHGs. Doing so also creates energy cost savings for building owners and residents.
Conserving energy in this sector has enormous potential, so much so that it could reduce or delay the
need for expensive new infrastructure such as electricity generation plants and pipeline extensions.
Build new transportation infrastructure. We need more co-ordinated, accessible, and affordable
transportation options so that fewer people will need to drive to work, school and shopping. Bus lines,
subways, light rapid transit (LRT), and GO train service should be rolled out in a co-ordinated way across
the region, so we can seamlessly get to all the places we need to go. We also need to build more
pedestrian and cycling infrastructure like wide sidewalks, segregated bike lanes, and safe intersection
designs based on the principle of Complete Streets.
Support transportation behaviour change. Once new options are in place, financial incentives, public
awareness campaigns, and supportive policies will need to be developed to encourage new
transportation behaviours such as car-pooling, switching from car to public transit, cycling and walking,
or working from home. We may even need to encourage people to reconsider their lifestyle choices with
respect to housing, and to choose to live in more compact neighbourhoods closer to schools, offices and
amenities.
Embrace electric vehicles. We need to support the use of low emission vehicles by, for example, building
electric vehicle charging infrastructure. Using EVs will reduce local emissions caused by conventional
cars.
Reduce waste to a minimum. Recycling and green waste collection should be ramped up to ensure that
our waste is handled in a way that minimizes methane emissions and/or creates new resources, such as
high-quality soil conditioner. In particular, we must focus on reducing waste in the commercial and
industrial sectors.
Take advantage of local renewable energy sources. With coal no longer in use for electricity generation
in Ontario, the amount of carbon emissions associated with electricity is much lower than it used to be.
However, we still have to minimize electricity use in order to reduce emissions from natural gas-fired
generation plants, and, eventually, to create room in our electricity system to support new uses, such as
electric cars. We can contribute to this effort by using large urban roof spaces for photovoltaic energy
installations. We can also consider replacing natural gas water and space heating by using heat pump
technology that draws heating and cooling from underground or from the air outside the building.
Engage the community. We can harness the power of the community to develop new ideas to combat
climate change. We need to leverage all the intelligence, passion and ingenuity our community has to
offer to respond to the challenge of global warming and deliver solutions that have multiple benefits
including improvements to our health, job creation and business opportunities, and improved quality of
life as well as reduced greenhouse gas emissions.
[Bar two] What is the City of Toronto doing to address climate change?
In 2007, the City of Toronto created the Climate Change, Clean Air & Sustainable Energy Action Plan,
which outlines ways that the City of Toronto and its residents, businesses and communities are taking
action to cut greenhouse gas emissions, improve air quality and create a sustainable energy future. In
2009, the City released its sustainable energy strategy, The Power to Live Green. These plans have been
the foundation of numerous City initiatives such as:
The Live Green Toronto program to encourage Torontonians to adopt more environmentally-friendly
lifestyles and reduce energy consumption at home, work and on the road.
Achieving a more than 50% waste diversion rate whereby methane-producing organics are removed
from the waste stream.
The Better Buildings Partnership, which encourages energy conservation in the built environment,
contributing to GHG reductions of 560,000 tonnes.
The Toronto Green Standard, which requires sustainable site and building design for all new
development.
Methane capture at landfills where methane is converted to electricity.
The Toronto-Central Smart Commute program to encourage employees and employers to use lowemission transportation options.
The Home Energy Loan Program to provide low-interest financing for home energy improvements.
The Toronto Renewable Energy Office to support the installation of renewable energy systems in cityowned buildings.
A community energy planning process to look for productive energy strategies at the neighbourhood
level.
Inclusion of green standards in the new taxi licensing by-law.