Energy Transition Strategy Update

Why are we updating the Community Energy Transition Strategy?

On August 27, 2019 City Council voted to update the City’s Community Energy Transition Strategy (CETS) to align with the international target of limiting global warming to 1.5°C. At the same time, City Council declared a Climate Emergency as a way to signal to communities, both local and international, that climate change is to be taken seriously and demands urgent action.

Edmonton’s CETS was developed with the best scientific research and advice available, to help Edmonton mitigate the risks of climate change. Approved by City Council in 2015, the Strategy aims to  reduce greenhouse gas emissions, increase renewable energy, and increase energy efficiency across all sectors. As part of its implementation, a suite of integrated programs under the name Change for Climate have been developed to get residents, communities, corporations, industry, building owners/operators and others, working together to reduce Edmonton’s greenhouse gas emissions. 

While the CETS is bold in its goal to reduce emissions, it is no longer bold enough as it was developed prior to the signing of the Paris Agreement which aims to limit the increase in global average temperatures to 2°C above pre-industrial levels. Since 2018 the United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has been calling to limit global warming to 1.5°C to prevent climate destabilization and ensure a more sustainable and equitable society. The Edmonton Declaration also calls on cities to work towards that same goal and has been endorsed through member networks, by over 4500 cities around the world.

The CETS must be updated to be more ambitious in speed and scale of change for Edmonton to align with the international target of limiting global warming to 1.5°C.