After a long discussion at their April 18th Board meeting, we applaud the RDCK Board of Directors for moving forward with a plan for new climate actions for our region. See the somewhat confusing language of the motion below**, which was considered a compromise.
When considering the business case for new actions, we expect they will be factoring in the high cost of not acting in response to the climate crisis we are facing.
In a recent study published in the journal “Nature”, this cost was estimated to rise to $38 trillion per year globally by 2050, meaning a 19% reduction in future global income due to storm damage, heat waves and reduced crop yields. That global cost breaks down to $104 billion per day, or $4.3 billion per hour.
In our region, wildfires, landslides, floods, drought and smoke are already creating significant financial, social, and environmental impacts.
We look forward to climate solutions that will increase affordability, health, and well being: things like better transit, safer walking and cycling, healthier and less leaky homes. The transition to a 100% renewable energy economy increases community resilience, and will help ensure our electric grids are more secure in power outages.
Having more climate solutions developed by local residents is valuable, since more cohesive communities are more prepared to help each other during times of crises.
Thank you to RDCK staff for all their hard work over the past year to invite the community to provide their input.
According to RDCK’s sustainability manager Paris Marshall Smith, “The process for new actions to come to the Board will be the same as what we have always done - investigate ideas that have potential benefit to residents and the region, and if they have merit then we will look at what the funding is available and the staffing capacity we have and then bring that proposal to the Board for their discussion and decision.
“The only change is how we investigate and determine merit. What the Board is requesting is preparing a business case, this will be similar to a feasibility study.”
**Motion that passed (11-9, with the 9 voting against the motion being in support of the more comprehensive plan):
That staff be directed to explore new climate action items impacting RDCK residents and make recommendations to the Board based on the RDCK Ideas for Climate Action document presented at the April 18, 2024 Board meeting, and FURTHER, that those items that were identified as high priorities in our consultation process, are practicable, and fiscally feasible are presented to the Board with a business case prior to proceeding, with funding ideally being provided by polluter super-funds.
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