Minutes
Environment, Transportation & Public Safety Standing Committee
Wednesday, February 19, 2020

Safety Standing Committee regarding the administrative report, “Acceleration of Climate Change Actions in response to the Climate Change Emergency Declaration – City Wide” and provide details related to:

• Global temperature trends

• Municipalities and Climate Change-Adaption—impacts of climate change are felt locally, vulnerability and risks are unique.

• A review of climate events including floods, tornadoes and losses.

• City response costs since 2016--$2,678,795.

• Municipalities and Climate Change-Mitigation—60-80% of Greenhouse Gas emissions occur within cities, Cities have direct or in-direct control of most of these emissions.

• Emissions are rising-2018—7% increase over 2014 baseline.

• Solving the climate crisis-Goal-Maintain Global Temperature increase to 1.5 degree Celsius above pre-industrial average to prevent catastrophic effects of climate change. Method-Mitigate climate change by reducing and then eliminating greenhouse gas emissions to the atmosphere in phases. Phase 1—Community Energy Plan (Target 5T/Capita). Phase 2— IPCC Carbon Budgeting (Target 3.2T/Capita by 2030). Phase 3—Carbon Neutral-proposed Federal Target (Target 0T/Capita by 2050).

• Priority actions—Home Retrofit Program (in partnership), District Energy System Expansion (in partnership), Organics Management, Active Transportation Master Plan, Transit Windsor Service Delivery Review, Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure and Action to reduce future growth in emissions.

• Gap analysis,-Windsor’s emission reduction pathway.

• Climate Change Adaptation Plans and Related Plans—notable accomplishments.

• Climate Change Mitigation Plans—notable accomplishments.

Derek Coronado, Coordinator, Citizens Environment Alliance of Southwestern Ontario

Derek Coronado, Coordinator, Citizens Environment Alliance of Southwestern Ontario appears before the Environment, Transportation and Public Safety Standing Committee regarding the administrative report, “Acceleration of Climate Change Actions in response to the Climate Change Emergency Declaration – City Wide” in support of the administrative report and recommendations and concludes by suggesting that Council engage an aggressive plan with mitigation and adaption and to move forward with these plans very soon.

Adrian Halpert and Ali Tejani, Windsor Law Cities and Climate Action Forum

Adrian Halpert and Ali Tejani, Windsor Law Cities and Climate Action Forum appear before the Environment, Transportation and Public Safety Standing Committee regarding the administrative report, “Acceleration of Climate Change Actions in response to the Climate Change Emergency Declaration – City Wide” and provide a brief overview of their group and conclude by indicating that the proposed actions are wins for the Community, that the deep energy retrofit should be a priority, the community is very interested in climate action and it is a good time to engage residents and integrate climate issues into day to day decisions and the City should be taking advantage of existing grants.