On March 11, Dufferin County Council adopted the Dufferin Climate Action Plan, a strategy for the community to reach net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 and build resilience to the current and future impacts of climate change.
“A net-zero target is ambitious, reflecting not only the urgency of the climate crisis, but also Dufferin County’s commitment to act as a leader on climate change in the community,” said Warden Darren White. “This target means that by 2050 Dufferin County will have reduced community greenhouse gas emissions to as close to zero as possible while removing any unavoidable emissions from the atmosphere through natural or technological solutions.”
The 2050 target is in alignment with the Paris Agreement, an international agreement to keep global temperature rise this century to well below two degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels and to pursue efforts to limit the temperature increase even further to 1.5 degrees Celsius. Interim targets of 10 per cent below 2016 levels by 2030 and 40 per cent below 2016 levels by 2040 have been set by the county to guide progress.
In addition to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, the Dufferin Climate Action Plan also focuses on actions to build resilience in the face of a changing climate. “Local climate projections show that Dufferin can expect to experience rising temperatures, changes in precipitation patterns, and an increasing number of severe weather events,” said Town of Mono Mayor, Laura Ryan. “This Plan is a critical step in ensuring that Dufferin remains a healthy and thriving community for current and future generations to come.”
Designed with community well-being at the forefront, the Dufferin Climate Action Plan is anticipated to generate many social, cultural, environmental, and economic benefits in the County. Input provided by the Dufferin County Climate Change Collaborative and Dufferin residents, who participated in a series of engagement initiatives throughout 2020, informed the creation of the plan and its guiding vision.
“This is not just a plan for the climate. It is also a plan for people,” says Orangeville Mayor Sandy Brown and member of the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy.
“Each action in the plan can be identified with at least one direct benefit for the community. For instance, improved energy efficiency means reduced energy bills, higher re-sale values, cleaner air, and more comfortable homes for residents.”
The Dufferin Climate Action Plan highlights five priority actions to be completed over the next five years around energy efficiency and fuel switching, low-carbon transportation, community empowerment, climate resiliency for natural and agricultural systems, and green development standards.
Dufferin residents can expect to see the acceleration of initiatives in alignment with these priorities. The installation of public electric vehicle (EV) charging stations to create a network to support the transition to EVs, opportunities to participate in energy saving programs with the County and local utility companies, and enhancements to the natural environment through both urban and rural tree planting projects serve as a few examples of what implementation of the Dufferin Climate Action Plan will look like in the community.
With the adoption of the Dufferin Climate Action Plan, the County moves through Milestone 3 of the Partner’s for Climate Protection Program, as part of a network of 350+ municipalities across Canada. Moving ahead to implementation, Dufferin County will establish regular five-year Plan updates, in addition to an annual report card, to reflect on progress, set next steps, and ensure that climate planning continues to align with community priorities.
Learn more about the Dufferin Climate Action Plan at dufferincounty.ca/climatechange.