The city of Vancouver has approved an ambitious plan to be totally powered by renewable sources by 2050.
Councillors at a meeting this week unanimously voted to push forward proposals that would see the city “derive 100% of the energy used from renewable sources before 2050” and reduce greenhouse gas emissions “by at least 80% below 2007 levels before 2050.”
The council met on Wednesday night to approve plans and voted that council-direct staff must report back in early 2016 to recommend interim milestones between 2020 and 2050 as well as provide implementation strategies to achieve the targets set.
Council papers state: “The purpose of the report is to recommend adoption in principle of the Renewable City Strategy, and to outline the priority areas that must be acted on for Vancouver to derive 100% of the energy its uses from renewable sources.
“The Renewable City Strategy provides a clear articulation that the use of 100% renewable energy before the year 2050 is feasible. In Vancouver energy is predominantly used to heat buildings, of all types, and run the city’s transportation, including personal vehicles, commercial vehicles or the transit system.”
Image: CanWEA
