Canada has less than 0.5 per cent of the world’s total population and it contains 18 per cent of the world’s cities that are committed to making new buildings that operate at net-zero carbon by 2030.
The Big Guns:
In September of 2018, Toronto, Montreal, and Vancouver pledged to the Net Zero Carbon Buildings Commitment, part of the World Green Building Council. The commitment requires that all buildings within the cities will meet net-zero carbon standards by 2050.
What it Means to be a Net-Zero Carbon Building:
The Green Building Council’s definition of a net-zero carbon building is one that is highly energy efficient. It is also a building that is completely powered from renewable energy sources on, or off-site. This commitment is believed to be a crucial step to upholding the goals of the Paris Agreement, and in keeping global temperatures below 1.5 Celsius degrees.
How Current Buildings Stack up to Reduction Commitments:
Buildings in urban areas are some of the largest sources of greenhouse gas emissions. They are responsible for over half of a city’s emissions. In Los Angeles, Paris and London, city buildings make up more than 70 per cent of the cities’ emissions.
According to World Green Building Council, half a million people die each year because of poor outdoor air pollution that is caused by the energy used in the building.
Challenges to Getting These Commitments off the Ground:
A large part of the challenge is that municipal governments do not have direct control over the buildings within certain boundaries. To combat this, federal governments and the private sector are pledging to work together with provincial and federal governments.
The global campaign is consistently looking for additional global players and participants. In addition, cities will look at the current energy demand and carbon emissions from their municipal buildings. They will also identify opportunities for reduction.
Additionally, Cities Will:
- Establish a plan for their commitment to reach net-zero carbon municipal buildings.
- Report annually on progress toward meeting targets.
- Evaluate the feasibility of including emissions beyond operational carbon.
The idea behind the net carbon tax is essentially one of reduction, specifically given Canada’s placement within the global environmental sphere. One applauded for its strides toward climate change, the country now fails to live up to the promises its made both domestically and internationally.
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