Assessing climate action progress of the City of Toronto
The Canadian City of Toronto’s progress is evaluated for the implementation of its climate action plan, TransformTO, and its effectiveness in reducing sectoral emissions. Following a brief history of climate action in Toronto, the key climate policies and programs are subjected to a content analysis...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Ubiquity Press
2022-12-01
|
| Series: | Buildings & Cities |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://journal-buildingscities.org/articles/248 |
| _version_ | 1797723782613303296 |
|---|---|
| author | Kimberley R. Slater Jacob Ventura John B. Robinson Cecilia Fernandez Stewart Dutfield Lisa King |
| author_facet | Kimberley R. Slater Jacob Ventura John B. Robinson Cecilia Fernandez Stewart Dutfield Lisa King |
| author_sort | Kimberley R. Slater |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The Canadian City of Toronto’s progress is evaluated for the implementation of its climate action plan, TransformTO, and its effectiveness in reducing sectoral emissions. Following a brief history of climate action in Toronto, the key climate policies and programs are subjected to a content analysis and assessed using an aggregate evaluation framework composed of qualitative indicators commonly used to track municipal climate action. The results of this assessment reveal that the city has made steady progress in reducing emissions, surpassing its 2020 greenhouse gas emissions reduction target of 30% reduction below 1990 levels. However, Toronto is not on track to meet its 2030 target of a 65% emissions reduction from 1990 levels. Without transformational action across all sectors, it is unlikely to meet the 2030 and 2040 targets. The results are intended to strengthen implementation and evaluation efforts in Toronto. The discussion will be of interest to decision-makers and practitioners who seek to accelerate implementation of municipal climate action plans. Policy relevance This paper is intended to support and strengthen the City of Toronto’s implementation of its climate action plan, TransformTO, and supporting Net Zero Strategies. Of potential relevance to policymakers in other Canadian cities is the role of ambitious top-down target-setting of the municipal organization and city at large for pursuing bold climate action, even in the face of significant constraints (e.g. provincial building code and energy grid, difficulties in accessing utilities energy use data). Policymakers may also draw insights from the Toronto context for leveraging staff and community commitment to climate action by involving them in planning and implementation of emissions reductions strategies. Useful recommendations are provided for overcoming modeling deficiencies and data limitations, while advancing transformative climate action through multi-sectoral partnerships, policies that support market transformation, the scale-up of low carbon programs and investments in low carbon infrastructure. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-12T10:07:38Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-ae86a50a8491443993b3ef7800418ad1 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2632-6655 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-12T10:07:38Z |
| publishDate | 2022-12-01 |
| publisher | Ubiquity Press |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Buildings & Cities |
| spelling | doaj.art-ae86a50a8491443993b3ef7800418ad12023-09-02T11:09:32ZengUbiquity PressBuildings & Cities2632-66552022-12-013110.5334/bc.248163Assessing climate action progress of the City of TorontoKimberley R. Slater0Jacob Ventura1John B. Robinson2Cecilia Fernandez3Stewart Dutfield4Lisa King5Department of Geography & Planning, University of Toronto, Toronto, ONDepartment of Geography and Environmental Studies, Toronto Metropolitan University, Toronto, ONMunk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON; School of the Environment, University of Toronto, Toronto, ONEnvironment and Climate Division (ECD), City of Toronto, Toronto, ONEnvironment and Climate Division (ECD), City of Toronto, Toronto, ONCity Planning Division, City of Toronto, Toronto, ONThe Canadian City of Toronto’s progress is evaluated for the implementation of its climate action plan, TransformTO, and its effectiveness in reducing sectoral emissions. Following a brief history of climate action in Toronto, the key climate policies and programs are subjected to a content analysis and assessed using an aggregate evaluation framework composed of qualitative indicators commonly used to track municipal climate action. The results of this assessment reveal that the city has made steady progress in reducing emissions, surpassing its 2020 greenhouse gas emissions reduction target of 30% reduction below 1990 levels. However, Toronto is not on track to meet its 2030 target of a 65% emissions reduction from 1990 levels. Without transformational action across all sectors, it is unlikely to meet the 2030 and 2040 targets. The results are intended to strengthen implementation and evaluation efforts in Toronto. The discussion will be of interest to decision-makers and practitioners who seek to accelerate implementation of municipal climate action plans. Policy relevance This paper is intended to support and strengthen the City of Toronto’s implementation of its climate action plan, TransformTO, and supporting Net Zero Strategies. Of potential relevance to policymakers in other Canadian cities is the role of ambitious top-down target-setting of the municipal organization and city at large for pursuing bold climate action, even in the face of significant constraints (e.g. provincial building code and energy grid, difficulties in accessing utilities energy use data). Policymakers may also draw insights from the Toronto context for leveraging staff and community commitment to climate action by involving them in planning and implementation of emissions reductions strategies. Useful recommendations are provided for overcoming modeling deficiencies and data limitations, while advancing transformative climate action through multi-sectoral partnerships, policies that support market transformation, the scale-up of low carbon programs and investments in low carbon infrastructure.https://journal-buildingscities.org/articles/248citiesclimate actionclimate implementationlocal governmentmitigationmultilateralnet zerotransformationurban governancetorontocanada |
| spellingShingle | Kimberley R. Slater Jacob Ventura John B. Robinson Cecilia Fernandez Stewart Dutfield Lisa King Assessing climate action progress of the City of Toronto Buildings & Cities cities climate action climate implementation local government mitigation multilateral net zero transformation urban governance toronto canada |
| title | Assessing climate action progress of the City of Toronto |
| title_full | Assessing climate action progress of the City of Toronto |
| title_fullStr | Assessing climate action progress of the City of Toronto |
| title_full_unstemmed | Assessing climate action progress of the City of Toronto |
| title_short | Assessing climate action progress of the City of Toronto |
| title_sort | assessing climate action progress of the city of toronto |
| topic | cities climate action climate implementation local government mitigation multilateral net zero transformation urban governance toronto canada |
| url | https://journal-buildingscities.org/articles/248 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT kimberleyrslater assessingclimateactionprogressofthecityoftoronto AT jacobventura assessingclimateactionprogressofthecityoftoronto AT johnbrobinson assessingclimateactionprogressofthecityoftoronto AT ceciliafernandez assessingclimateactionprogressofthecityoftoronto AT stewartdutfield assessingclimateactionprogressofthecityoftoronto AT lisaking assessingclimateactionprogressofthecityoftoronto |