City of Cornwall approves Climate Action Plan

Cornwall City Council, during its April 11 meeting, voted in favour of approving its Climate Action Plan.

The Climate Action Plan is the City of Cornwall’s response to the climate crisis, providing a path toward a low-carbon future for the community and for the City’s operations.

“The endorsement of the Climate Action Plan by Council is an encouraging step towards making Cornwall a sustainable and resilient city,” said Stephen Romano, Manager of Environmental Services. “The City of Cornwall staff are eager to be municipal leaders and pave the way for the entire community to achieve the goals and recommendations of the Climate Action Plan.”

Following the commitment established in Cornwall’s Climate Emergency Declaration, the plan outlines a strategy to achieve the ambitious target of 40-45% greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction (below 2005 levels) by 2030 and to become a net-zero city by 2050.

The City of Cornwall’s Climate Action Plan will focus on reducing greenhouse gas emissions in Cornwall in five  action areas — Efficient and Carbon Neutral Buildings, Active and Zero, Emission Mobility and Transportation, Waste Transformed, Enhanced  Nature-Based Solutions and Municipal Leadership.

“Since declaring a climate emergency on December 13, 2021, we’ve been working with Pinna Sustainability to create Cornwall’s first ever Climate Action Plan,” said Angela Parker, the City of Cornwall’s Sustainability Project Coordinator. “Last year we consulted internal and external stakeholders to determine ambitious goals that will significantly reduce community and corporate greenhouse gas emissions.”