Vancouver City Council has unanimously adopted a resolution that commits the community to a goal of 100% renewable energy.
“Cities, as the most direct level of government, need to take action,” said Mayor Gregor Robertson. “The moral imperative,” agreed Councillor Andrea Reimer, “is to act to prevent disaster, but also to act for hope, to provide future generations with hope.”
- Concise headlines. Original content. Timely news and views from a select group of opinion leaders. Special extras.
- Everything you need, nothing you don’t.
- The Weekender: The climate news you need.
The resolution calls for city staff to “bring back the long-range Climate Action Plan to Council by fall 2015 with a clear articulation of the date by which a shift to 100% renewable energy sources is feasible.” Vancouver will also “advocate to regional, provincial, and national governments to support an international agreement that commits to 100% renewable energy sources.”
“The motion aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the region and cut rising costs due to climate change in Metro Vancouver, now pegged at $9.5 billion,” the Vancouver Observer reports. “Tzeporah Berman, Canadian ambassador for the Global 100 Renewable Energy campaign of the World Future Council, confirmed that case studies show that shifting to renewable energy not only decreases greenhouse gas emissions, it saves money, boosts job creation and the economy.”
Clean Energy Canada Senior Analyst Jeremy Moorhouse said Vancouver has “joined Stockholm, Copenhagen, Sydney, and a small group of other visionary cities that have set ambitious goals to meaningfully tackle climate disruption.”
“Though challenging, a 100% renewable-energy commitment is feasible,” he added. “Stanford University research has demonstrated how every state in the United States could switch to 100% renewable energy. Now a major Canadian city is setting out to achieve this same goal.”
