Now 20 years behind the curve reducing emissions, the Sault is already well positioned for some catastrophic costs and adverse impacts from climate change. Since Canada is one of the biggest GHG emitters per capita, and the Sault even higher than the national average, the Sault has one of the most egregious carbon footprints and the greatest ethical, health and economic obligation to take immediate and dramatic action to reduce our emissions. 

 

Among other things, failure to act has huge tax implications for the city since climate costs are already helping push the city to some of the highest tax rates in Ontario. To reverse this trend, we need deep and rapid absolute – not net - GHG emission cuts.

 

Net zero in the climate battle is ultimately meaningless because we will need every ounce of effort within the next few years to remove excess GHG from the atmosphere. Pumping out more emissions at the same time as trying to remove emissions is like punching a hole in a boat only because you believe you have a bailer. Our bailer is nowhere in sight, making net emission measures indefensible.

 

Besides, continuing to emit would be working against our own best interests, generating a zero sum game at best. Forget net zero; we need net negative, starting with absolute zero as soon as possible.

 

Daunting? Not at all! Deep and rapid emission cuts will create job opportunities, improve our economy and well-being, reduce taxes, reduce our municipal long term borrowing costs, and generate personal savings.

 

All the solutions the city requires are widely available. Most cost nothing. Many generate municipal revenue. Done properly, there’s not a city on this planet that has not subsequently thrived. Solving the climate emergency has never been technical or scientific; it has always been political. Climate action failure is a choice. Lack of past political action has elevated a climate risk to a climate emergency. Rapid decarbonisation is now an opportunity for the current council to course correct.

 

76 countries have already signed the Lofoten Declaration calling for phase out of fossil fuels as a pathway to climate security and a strong economy. Costa Rica is about to become the worlds first fossil fuel-free country. We have no time to waste; the race is on. Laggards will not only miss opportunities; they will incur mammoth costs.

 

So how will the Sault rapidly phase out fossil fuels?

 

The most obvious place to start is with the biggest bang for our buck: industry. Industry produces an unfathomable 69% of our community GHG emissions. The city needs to immediately tackle that sector.

 

Not possible you say? Out of the city’s jurisdiction you assert? That thinking is total and utter hubris.

 

Consider this: the city just contributed $1 million dollars to one local fossil fuel company to expand emissions. That one subsidy will eclipse – perhaps by an order of magnitude (10X) - the balance of community emission reductions possible over the next 5 – 10 years.

 

That one decision vividly illustrates how much of an influence the city has on local industry emissions. Simply rejecting GHG emission increases is the most fundamental action the city can take to generate a virtuous GHG reduction cycle.

 

A climate lens to test all decisions going to staff and council is clearly long overdue. Doing business only with businesses that have valid and legitimate emission reduction plans, the city can help reduce community emissions from industry.

 

Even before releasing the climate strategy, the city should rescind that one market-distorting subsidy and pour the million dollars into something practical, important and urgent, like creating sustainable jobs locally, solving the opioid problem, improving transit, building pedestrian or bike infrastructure, attracting doctors to the city, or improving downtown.

 

The city must exercise its power to take progressive emission reduction actions seriously. The city will never reach its end-goal if it fails to take into account the major source of local emissions.

 

There are already significant costs to both businesses and municipalities that do not have legitimate GHG reduction plans. Without aggressive climate action, the Sault compromises not only its image, but its economic viability. To create a feasible climate action plan that generates savings, tax reductions, well-being and future economic viability, the city must achieve deep and rapid emission reductions starting by prioritising industry emission cuts.