City officials revealed a climate plan that will cost Calgarians the equivalent of $3.1 billion every year for the next 28 years..The city’s community development committee voted in favour of the ambitious $87 billion environmental strategy with a 5-1 vote. Richard Pootmans, councillor for Ward 6, was the only nay vote..In November 2021, Calgary joined the ranks of other Canadian municipalities declaring a climate emergency when it committed to the city reaching net-zero emissions by 2050. Newly elected Calgary Mayor Jyoti Gondek formally declared a city climate emergency within three weeks of her election..Many were skeptical about her declaration, not the least of whom was Premier Jason Kenney who said at the time he thought her priorities were baffling..“In a city that has been suffering from near double-digit unemployment that has gone through five years of deep economic adversity, I find that a peculiar priority,” Kenney said while speaking to reporters in October. “I would have thought that the mayor of Calgary’s top priority would be getting Calgarians back to work," he said..The Pathways to 2050 climate strategy marries the city’s present and future policies to a scale necessary to meet its goal of net-zero emissions by 2050, according to the city's officials.."We know what the impact of climate change will be for Calgary, and we know what we have to do to protect Calgarians from the risks of a changing climate," said the city's general manager of planning and development Stuart Dalgleish.."At the same time, we understand and are sensitive to the challenges Albertans will face as we transition towards a low-carbon and climate-resilient future. There are significant hurdles that need to be overcome," he said.."The Calgary Climate Strategy focuses on achieving community-level climate outcomes through city and community action. The proposed Calgary Climate Strategy contains the strategic framework providing overarching guiding principles and direction — the Mitigation Plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to achieve a net-zero target, and the Adaptation Plan to build climate resilience into Calgary’s communities," Tuesday's city agenda said..The report says the broad effects of climate change are sweeping, expensive, and dangerous. It also said climate change is having negative impacts on the the economy, the broader environment, and people's health and well being..It also declares the impacts of climate change will strain government financial resources and disrupt business..Some Calgarians don't think the city has gone far enough, though. Outspoken activist Noel Keough tweeted his disapproval saying he thinks the plan is inadequate.."I know it’s not in vogue to be a pessimist but IMHO before CoC Climate Strategy we were heading off a cliff at 100-km per hour. After passage we are heading off the cliff at 80-km an hour. Same carnage at the bottom of the cliff. I hope and pray MHO is wrong," his tweet read..The city says the budget would cover mitigation measures like building retrofits, renewable energy projects, and zero emissions transportation..“From a solutions perspective, the city will pursue multiple streams of funding and financing mechanisms to support programs and actions and to continue to leverage funding opportunities,” said Dick Ebersohn, climate change and environment manager for the City of Calgary..He also said that by not doing enough now, solutions could get very much more expensive in the future..“If we stand by and do nothing, the cost of inaction could ramp up to an average of $7.8 billion per year by the 2080s.”.The plan will go to city council for discussion on June 7.
