Saskatoon released the 2023 Climate Action Progress Report a few weeks ago in November. The report celebrates reduced community emissions, (down 12% and per capita emissions down by 27% from 2014). The report also suggests GHG mitigation actions are progressing and promises a new Climate Action Plan for 2025. At first glance, this report appears promising however further analysis reveals that after more than 5 years, our GHG reductions have been dismal.
Most of the City’s emissions reductions can be attributed primarily to SaskPower’s efforts to reduce the emissions intensity of its electricity rather than a comprehensive adherence to the LEC plan.
SaskPower’s GHG emissions per kWh of electricity sold has dropped by approximately 17% due to expanding wind generation and reduced power from coal.
In reality, the main causal factors of our community’s emissions are buildings and transportation. To date, the City has completed 100 residential energy retrofits, only 6 of these being deep energy retrofits. The Industrial, Commercial, and Institutional building sector is even further behind the residential sector in addressing emissions. GHG reductions from Transportation have also been negligible. As a community, we have barely begun to implement solar PV generation on buildings or available land.
The Dundonald Solar Farm has been discussed for nearly 5 years, but there are still no panels up.
The climate crisis is already stealing our summers and smoking us back into our homes. We will not be able to adapt unless we stop emitting GHGs. To do this we must face basic facts: we must reduce our impacts and replace fossil energy with clean energy. Saskatoon has the power to change, and the changes will make our lives better. We urge the new council, and all residents, to act with courage and commitment like never before. The time is now.
See the report from the City of Saskatoon here:
https://www.saskatoon.ca/sites/default/files/Climate%20Action%20Plan%202023-Online.pdf