Report to/Rapport au :
Planning and Environment Committee/
Comité de l'urbanisme et de l'environnement
and Council / et au Conseil
1 September 2010/ le 1 septembre 2010
Submitted by/Soumis par : Chair, Environmental Advisory Committee
Contact Person/Personne ressource: Stephanie Brown Bellefeuille, Coordinator, Advisory Committees, City Clerk’s Branch/Direction du greffe
(613) 580-2424 x16760, Stephanie.Brown@ottawa.ca
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REPORT RECOMMENDATIONS
The Environmental Advisory Committee recommends that Planning and Environment Committee recommend that Council approve that Ottawa join the Commonwealth Climate Change Challenge and direct staff to assist the Royal Commonwealth Society in its local implementation.
RECOMMANDATIONS DU RAPPORT
Le Comité consultatif sur l’environnement (CCE) recommande au Comité de l’urbanisme et de l’environnement d’approuver que la Ville prenne part au défi du Commonwealth relatif au changement climatique et de charger le personnel d’aider la Royal Commonwealth Society à le mener à bien à Ottawa.
BACKGROUND
At its 13 May meeting, the Environmental Advisory Committee passed the following motion:
Whereas the Royal Commonwealth Society has requested the City of Ottawa’s participation in the Commonwealth Climate Change Challenge; and
Whereas the Commonwealth Climate Challenge is an international competition involving 12 cities across 12 different Commonwealth countries focused on the need to address climate change at the community level; and
Whereas the City of Ottawa’s Climate Change Management Plan has a community reduction target of -20% by 2012;
And Whereas this community target is far from being met;
Be it resolved that the EAC recommends that Council adopt a motion directing that Ottawa join the Commonwealth Climate Change Challenge and direct staff to assist the Royal Commonwealth Society in its local implementation, subject to available resources.
Following the approval of this motion by the Environmental Advisory Committee at its May 13 meeting, this motion was distributed in a memo to all members of Council. With the Ottawa launch of the Royal Commonwealth Society’s Climate Change Challenge now planned at City Hall for Thursday, November 25 in Jean Pigott Hall, including the British High Commissioner to Canada Anthony Cary, it is hoped by the Committee that Council will formally endorse the participation of the City of Ottawa in this worldwide challenge.
DISCUSSION
The Commonwealth Climate Challenge is an international competition involving 12 cities across 12 different Commonwealth countries. 12 households in each city will compete to reduce their environmental impact over the course of one year.
Run by the Royal Commonwealth Society (RCS), in partnership with the Prince of Wales’ Charities, the Commonwealth Climate Challenge offers an opportunity to:
• highlight the need to address climate change across diverse Commonwealth countries
• demonstrate the value of practical actions by ordinary people
• compare how people in very different contexts can change their behaviours to make a
positive impact
• raise the profile of the Commonwealth
The RCS is an educational charity founded in 1868 to promote international understanding, and is the world’s oldest and largest NGO, with headquarters in London. The RCS hopes that Ottawa, Canada can be involved as a participating city.
Challenge Participants
To give the Climate Challenge a Commonwealth flavour, the RCS is planning to work in 12 cities in 12 different countries around the Commonwealth, whose first letters combine to spell out the word ‘Commonwealth’. These cities have been carefully chosen to reflect the geographic and economic diversity of the Commonwealth. The proposals include cities in all regions: Africa (3), Asia (3), Caribbean (1), Europe/Canada (2) and Pacific (3). They are: (City, Country)
C – Chaguanas, Trinidad and Tobago
O – Ottawa, Canada
M – Male, Maldives
M – Malacca, Malaysia
O – Oxford, UK
N – Nairobi, Kenya
W – Wellington, New Zealand
E - East London, South Africa
A – Apia, Samoa
L – Lagos, Nigeria
T – Trivandrum, India
H – Hobart, Australia
Choosing the City of Ottawa
When identifying cities to take part in the Climate Challenge, the RCS is seeking to include a range of sizes and types of city, with varied geographies. As the capital of Canada, and one of the largest municipalities in the country, encouraging the population of Ottawa to support efforts to combat climate change has the potential to send a powerful message to other communities across Ontario and Canada. The RCS hopes that the Mayor of Ottawa and the City Council can support the Climate Challenge and help to showcase Ottawa’s green credentials to the world.
Household Participants
In each of the 12 participating Climate Challenge cities, the RCS hopes to work with local partners to identify 12 households to participate in the project. The 12 households will compete as a team on behalf of Ottawa against the other 11 cities worldwide.
The success of the Climate Challenge is dependent on the scientific credibility of the measurement process. The RCS is therefore working with environmental experts to develop a set of comprehensive criteria to monitor each household’s progress.
CONSULTATION
Environmental Sustainability Branch
Further to the Environmental Advisory Committee motion, Environmental Sustainability staff contacted the Royal Commonwealth Society (RCS) to get a better understanding of the initiative. Efforts to build awareness and promote ways of reducing household resource use (i.e. energy and water) support City objectives in a number of areas including GHG reduction, waste diversion, and water use. Being involved in an international effort such as the commonwealth challenge would be an effective way to help partner with the community.
Staff suggested several possible non-profit environmental organizations in Ottawa that may be interested in being involved, including EnviroCentre. The RCS subsequently contacted EnviroCentre who will be the Project Coordinators of the Climate Challenge. Staff will be available to assist in terms of advice and contacts/promotion.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS
Set up and facility rental costs for the launch will be approximately $310; funds are available within Community Sustainability’s operating budget.
The launch reception and other costs incurred at the local level over the course of the year-long event will be the responsibility of EnviroCentre.
LEGAL/RISK MANAGEMENT IMPLICATIONS
There are no Legal/Risk Management Implications associated with the recommendations in this report.
DISPOSITION
Upon approval by Committee and Council, Ottawa endorsement of the initiative will be provided to the Royal commonwealth Society and staff from Community Sustainability will provide support as noted in the report.