The City of Kimberley is reporting significant improvements by the City towards its 2020 emissions reduction goals with the release of their 2018 Climate Action Revenue Incentive (CARIP) report this past May.
The report, which is required by the province of B.C., outlines actions being taken by the City to reduce GHG emissions.
These actions include building and lighting, energy generation, solid waste, transportation, water and wastewater, innovation and carbon neutrality.
It summarizes these actions taken in 2018 to reduce corporate and community-wide energy consumption and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. It shows progress towards achieving carbon neutrality within the City.
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The City’s Official Community Plan (OCP) includes a target of 33 per cent reduction in corporate GHG emissions over the 2007 baseline by 2020, and supports initiatives to reduce community greenhouse gas emissions by six per cent from 2007 levels by 2020, says a press release from the City.
In 2018, the total annual corporate emissions were 1,184 tCO2e, representing a 5.4 per cent reduction from the previous year, and a total of 21.6 per cent reduction from 2017.
“We’re proud of the reduction we have seen to the City’s corporate emissions to date,” said City CAO Scott Sommerville. “We feel confident that we will meet our 2020 goal of a total of 33 per cent emissions reduction.
“I do hope the work that we are doing will inspire residents to find ways to reduce their own carbon footprint. It’s as easy as riding your bike to work, walking to the store or composting at home.”
Some of the actions taken by the City to reduce GHG emissions include the installation of two Electric Vehicle Charging Stations, one at City Hall and one in the Platzl parking lot, acquiring an electric vehicle for use by the City’s Bylaw Officer, the installation of solar panels at the Aquatic Centre, increasing the number of shade trees at parks and the replacement of water mains throughout the City.
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The City also encourages builders to be a part of the BC Energy Step Code, which has been successful over the past few years.
The addition of the Recycle BC Depot at the Kimberley Transfer Station allows residents to recycle over 76 different kinds of items, reducing the amount of garbage that ends up in the landfill. The City is also working with the Regional District of East Kootenay to pursue funding for an Organic Infrastructure Program that if successful, would see organics diverted from Kimberley’s waste stream.
The full report is available on the City’s website at www.kimberley.ca.