Submitted by Ryan Matheson,
Climate Action Program Manager,
Bruce Peninsula Biosphere Association
While climate change has been with us for decades, 2021 was the year where it began to consistently make headlines. From major flooding in British Columbia, to heatwaves across the continent, to enormous international climate summits, to dire research warnings about a hotter future, not a week seems to have gone by without some new evidence of climate change’s profound impacts on all of us and the need to address it now.
Here on the Northern Bruce Peninsula the message has been heard loud and clear. 2021 was the year where climate change moved from being an area of concern to a focal point of action for the community. As 2021 winds down, we want to take stock of the all the work and successes to date – and also look at what’s in-store for climate action in 2022 and beyond.
Laying the Foundation
Climate Action in 2021 began with a flurry of activity. The year started with the formation of the Municipality’s Climate Action Committee – whose mandate to drive the development of a Climate Action Plan for the community signaled the issue’s growing importance. A few short weeks later, there was an even bigger breakthrough. The Bruce Peninsula Biosphere Association (BPBA) received a generous federal government grant to both support the Committee’s work and launch its own initiatives focused on reducing the Peninsula’s greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to climate change.
These multi-year initiatives have gotten off to a strong start in 2021. Focused on education and awareness, hundreds of community members have attended information sessions, open houses, and live demonstrations to learn how they can reduce their emissions in two key areas: home heating and transportation.
For home heating, residents were encouraged to start with a home energy audit; a fully reimbursable program that helps determine the energy efficiency of a resident’s home. The waitlist in 2021 filled-up quickly, with nearly 50 booked to date. Armed with their audit information, residents have also been encouraged to explore conversions to electric heat pumps – a remarkable new technology with the ability to save residents money and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by over 95%!
For transportation, a similar multi-month campaign has been underway reaching hundreds of residents to encourage them to adopt electric vehicles – another rapidly improving technology with the ability to save drivers money and dramatically reduce emissions. Dozens of new charging stations were added throughout the community in 2021, making electric vehicles an even more practical option on the Peninsula, especially as the affordability, availability of models, and range improve every year.
The Road Ahead
If 2021 was focused on building momentum for climate action, 2022 will be the year that defines a vision for climate action over a longer-term. While the programs for energy audits, heat pumps, and electric vehicles will continue, much of the focus will turn to the development and launch of Northern Bruce Peninsula’s first Climate Action Plan.
The plan will be comprehensive – covering the needs and actions of all residents, visitors, businesses, public servants, and community groups who contribute to life on the Peninsula. It will outline the science behind climate change, where our emissions come from, and its expected impact to life on the Peninsula. It will also describe a path forward – both for reducing our contribution to climate change and for minimizing its worst effects – from now until 2030.
Work on the plan has been underway behind the scenes for months – gathering data, consulting with leading scientists, and gathering initial inputs from the local community. Some early previews of potential components of the plan were already held virtually over Zoom earlier this fall.
In the new year, the conversations on the substance of the plan will kick into high gear. In January, we will be holding a series of open houses – inviting one and all to ask questions about the project and provide input on what they hope the plan will address. In February, March, and beyond, we hope to continue the discussions with public meetings and surveys to test support for specific portions of the plan. This input is the last and most vital ingredient to the final plan we hope to launch next spring.
An Invitation to Act
As we enter a season of reflection and gratitude, we are so thankful for all who have volunteered, engaged, or learned as part of Climate Action work so far. For those who have not yet had a chance, there are many opportunities to start the new year off on the right foot.
Are you interested in saving money or reducing emissions from home heating? Check-out bpba.ca/projects/climate-action more details on our programs for energy audits, heat pumps, and electric vehicles.
Do you want to learn about or contribute to the upcoming Climate Action Plan? Take a look at letstalknbp.ca/climate-action for information on upcoming events or areas requiring your input.
Or are you not sure how you want to be involved? Simply get in-touch with us at climate.action@bpba.ca – we’re always happy to chat.
