Executive summary
- The new process has two components:
- a new section in the staff report template titled Climate and Environment Implications and
- a calculator tool developed to assist staff with calculating Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions and other metrics associated with their report.
- This process is designed to gather qualitative (descriptive) information on climate and environmental impacts from all City departments and quantitative (measured) data on GHG emissions, waste ,water, stormwater and tree planting/removal from Public Works and Housing Operations staff at this time.
- Information entered in the calculator tool will also be saved in a backend database that will be consolidated and provided as a quarterly report to Council and the Environmental and Sustainability Policy Advisory Committee (ESPAC) on these metrics.
- A review process will be initiated after one year of use to ensure the tool is operating effectively and/or identify where improvements can be made.
Climate implications
- The process described herein has the potential to greatly improve the City’s ability to mitigate climate and environmental impacts.
- Increasing education, literacy and knowledge on these topics is still very necessary and providing regular discussion and measured data in these areas will assist with this goal City-wide.
- Additionally, requiring discussion and consideration of climate and environmental impacts on all staff reports will signal to the community and other jurisdictions that the City of Brantford is committed to environmental stewardship and meeting the necessary climate change targets.
- With growing knowledge and heightened visibility of these issues, Council will be better equipped to identify problem areas and work toward mitigating them.
- Although the impact of this proposal cannot be measured, this is the first step in moving toward a decision making process that factors in environmental and climate change impacts that Council decisions have on future generations.