Climate change is the biggest environmental challenge that we face today and it is primarily caused by human activities.
The layer of atmospheric gases surrounding our planet acts like a protective blanket. This blanket lets in just the right amount of heat and light from the sun. It also shelters the Earth from the deep cold of space, much like the panes of a greenhouse. This is why the gases that make up this atmospheric layer are also referred to as greenhouse gases.
Human activities such as the burning of fossil fuels, and farming have increased the level of certain greenhouse gases (G.H.G.s), such as carbon dioxide and methane, in our atmosphere. As this blanket of gases gets denser, less heat is able to escape from the planet, which heats up the atmosphere and oceans, causing the climate to change.
For more information on climate change, visit:
Reducing our G.H.G. emissions can help to reduce our impact on the environment. This is referred to as climate mitigation.
The City of Oshawa is taking action to help reduce the impacts of climate change on the environment and respond to the goal of Environmental Responsibility as outlined in the Oshawa Strategic Plan.
The City of Oshawa is also a member of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities’ (F.C.M.) Partners for Climate Protection (P.C.P.) program, which consists of five milestones that will assist local governments across Canada in reducing both corporate and community G.H.G. emissions:
Through the P.C.P. program, on September 7, 2010, City Council adopted the following corporate and community G.H.G. reduction targets;
Durham Community Energy Plan |
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On June 2, 2010, Regional Council adopted the following G.H.G. reduction targets:
On April 24, 2019, Regional Council approved the Durham Community Energy Plan (D.C.E.P.), in principle. The D.C.E.P. is a long-term plan to achieve the above-mentioned targets by improving energy efficiency and reducing energy consumption across the Region. |
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Corporate Greenhouse Gas Reduction Plan |
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The City of Oshawa is committed to reducing its greenhouse gas emissions and energy consumption as a corporation. The City of Oshawa has completed all five milestones of the P.C.P program for its Corporate G.H.G. Reduction Plan and continues to monitor its progress. The City is also required to provide a Corporate Facilities Energy Management Plan to the Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks, which was recently updated in 2019. |
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Community Greenhouse Gas Reduction Plan |
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The Draft Community G.H.G. Reduction Plan (the “Draft Plan”) was developed through a collaborative process and identifies various actions and opportunities that, once finalized, will reduce the G.H.G. emissions in Oshawa, while achieving additional environmental, social and economic benefits. To join the mailing list for the Draft Plan or for more information please see the contact information below.
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Climate adaptation is about understanding the impacts that the changing climate will have on our City. This will help us develop plans to protect municipal investments and infrastructure, and create a more resilient City.
The Oshawa Strategic Plan commits is to evaluate and implement climate change adaptation measures. These measures will strengthen the City’s resilience to extreme weather events and reduce the impacts of climate change on the environment.
Durham Region's Future Climate (2040 - 2049) Summary gives us an idea of what the climate will look like in Oshawa in the near future. Using these weather projections, the City has worked closely with our partners at the Region in the development of the Durham Community Climate Adaptation Plan.
The main goals of climate adaptation are to:
Successful climate adaptation will not prevent the impacts of climate change. However, with careful planning, these impacts can be less severe. Successful adaptation measures can also help us take advantage of any long-term opportunities. Cities that invest in climate adaptation measures will benefit in the following ways: