Kelowna falling short on its plans to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions

The City of Kelowna needs to take much more dramatic action if it wants to reach its greenhouse gas targets.

A report going to city council on Monday updates the city’s progress on targets endorsed last year in its Community Climate Action Plan.

That sets an initial target of cutting emissions four per cent below 2007 levels by 2023, with higher cuts projected for later years.

“Progress on the City’s community greenhouse gas reduction target is questionable due to the erratic year over year changes in emissions,” the report states, saying weather could be playing a role.

Besides, it adds, the targets set by the city are not nearly tough enough to meet targets set by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. The City of Kelowna needs to take much more dramatic action if it wants to reach its targets.

In 2010, Kelowna was 4.7 per cent below the 2007 level but that jumped to 5.9 per cent above in 2017, the latest year for which data is available.

However, out of the 47 actions listed in its climate change plan, 68 per cent were in progress, ongoing or complete.

Some of the things that have not been started include:

• restrict drive-throughs
• investigate a regional fuel tax
• require more tree protection and replacement for new developments
• look into using treated sewage water for irrigation

To contact a reporter for this story, email Rob Munro or call 250-808-0143 or email the editor. You can also submitphotos, videos or news tips to the newsroom and be entered to win a monthly prize draw.

We welcome your comments and opinions on our stories but play nice. We won't censor or delete comments unless they contain off-topic statements or links, unnecessary vulgarity, false facts, spam or obviously fake profiles. If you have any concerns about what you see in comments, email the editor in the link above.