The final strategy
The Climate Resilient Kelowna Strategy has been adopted by Council and is now live. You can check out the entire strategy here. Thank you to all those who helped shape the plan as we work towards a more climate resilient Kelowna!
Background
What did we hear you during round 2 of engagement? Check out the engagement summary here!
The Climate Resilient Kelowna Strategy outlines actions to put us on a path to reduce community greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 40% below 2007 levels by 2030 (and net zero emissions by 2050), while helping us become more resilient to climate change impacts.
Our urban forest is an essential part of climate resilience, as well as the community’s character, livability, and biodiversity. Because of this, the City is also developing a new Sustainable Urban Forest Strategy. This new strategy will serve as a plan to manage the urban forest now and in the future.
The purpose of this round of engagement was to give the community an opportunity to review the draft Climate Resilient Kelowna Strategy and the draft Sustainable Urban Forest Strategy. We appreciate your feedback to ensure that each of the strategies reflect our community’s needs.
Main components of the Climate Resilient Kelowna Strategy
10 key drivers broken into 28 strategies the City can take to help create a low carbon resilient community.
Climate change affects everyone, and we all play a role in reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to limit the extent and impacts of climate change. In 2018, the City of Kelowna completed the Community Climate Action Plan (CCAP), a five-year strategy to reduce GHG emissions four per cent below 2007 levels by 2023.
Soon after the Council's endorsement significant changes happened on the climate planning landscape when scientists stressed the urgency for significant action to limit global warming below 1.5 degrees Celsius to avoid significant global impact. Governments at all levels have responded, adopting more aggressive emission reduction targets and action plans.
To address this and ensure progress beyond the expiring CCAP, the City began a three-phase project in 2021 to identify how Kelowna and its residents can reduce community GHG emissions and prepare for and adapt to climate change.
Phase 1: Greenhouse Gas Modelling Study
This technical study, presented to Council on June 20, 2022, modelled actions to be taken to reduce Kelowna’s GHG emissions from transportation, waste, and building sectors. Based on the outcomes, Council recommended a new strategy be developed using the Province of BC's targets to reduce emissions 40% below 2007 levels by 2030 and approach net zero emissions by 2050. See the Executive Summary for more info.
Phase 2: Climate Vulnerability and Risk Assessment (CVRA)
This technical study, presented to Council on April 3, 2023, describes the scope of Kelowna’s community adaptation challenge by modelling the natural and built hazard risks and vulnerabilities to existing buildings, infrastructure and people, and planned growth, out to 2070. See the assessment’s Executive Summary for more.
Phase 3: Developing the Climate Resilient Kelowna Strategy
This phase used the results of the first two phases, together with input from the community to develop a series of recommendations on how our community can become resilient by reducing GHG emissions (climate mitigation) and preparing for the impacts of climate change (climate adaptation).
We want to hear from you about Kelowna's forests as well! Visit the Sustainable Urban Forest Strategy page to learn about that initiative before taking part in the second half of the survey below.
