Carbon Neutral Government

With existing technologies and capital stock turnover, achieving zero carbon is not possible in the short term. Going carbon neutral is a powerful way of demonstrating leadership excellence. On top of their own reductions, local governments that are going carbon neutral will be stimulating emission reduction activities across the province that would not have otherwise happened through the purchase of offsets...

NEW!!!

Download the Joint Provincial-UBCM Green Communities Committee Draft Guidance: Carbon Neutrali Local Government – Helping local Governments Understand How to be Carbon Neutral in Their Corporate Operations.

The Guide is intended to support local governments as they work towards becoming carbon neutral in their corporate operations. This document is also often referred to as the Workbook, to the Toolkit.

Download here.

The Workbook provides:

  •  an explanation as to what carbon neutrality is,
  • a draft description of which corporate operations, referred to as “traditional services”, will be included in the carbon neutral commitment,
  • advice on data collection,
  • examples of energy statements and how the information can be used to interpret a local government’s energy consumption and carbon footprint, and
  • an invitation to begin tracking corporate emissions now and provide feedback to GCC as it continues to refine the definition of carbon neutrality.

  • For more information about the Workbook please contact: Tatiana Robertson, Ministry of Community and Rural Development

Demonstrating Excellence, Supporting Innovation

Carbon Neutral ABCs

A

 Measure your local government emissions

B

Reduce these emissions as much as possible

C

 

Invest in projects that reduce emissions equivalent to your remaining emissions by purchasing offsets

 

Out of the Climate Action Charter, the Joint Provincial-UBCM Green Communities Committee (GCC) established the Carbon Neutral Working Group, composed of local government staff experts and resource people to provide guidance in developing a carbon neutral program. The GCC is currently:

  • Proposing "Traditional Services" boundaries which are available here.
  • Developing a credible framework local governments can use to offset their remaining emissions
  • Developing program support to enable local governments to meet this challenge.

The GCC is soliciting feedback on the boundary proposal, as well as continuing to consult with local governments and the Carbon Neutral Working Group in developing the offsets framework and program support.

Boundaries

Traditional government services under the boundaries for carbon neutral local government: Cariboo Regional District's Pine Valley Sewer System Upgrade - installed fine bubble diffusers, reducing hydro consumption by increasing process efficiency. / UBCM.Traditional government services under the boundaries for carbon neutral local government: Cariboo Regional District's Pine Valley Sewer System Upgrade - installed fine bubble diffusers, reducing hydro consumption by increasing process efficiency. / UBCM.The proposed boundaries for calculating carbon neutrality are based on traditional local government services. Emissions would be counted from transportation, electricity use, heating and production of solid waste associated with these services. Traditional services cover:
• Fire
• Solid waste collection and diversion
• Arts, recreation and cultural services
• Road and traffic operations
• Wastewateri
• Storm water
• Drinking water
• Governance, administration and planning

These emissions are mostly carbon dioxide, some methane and a little nitrous oxide. Some of these emissions would be from direct sources, for example the combustion of natural gasi for heating, or combustion of gasoline or diesel in vehicle fleets. Other emissions would be from indirect, or upstream sources, such as the generation of electricity that is used.

Contracted Out Services

If a local government has a contractual or partnership arrangement to deliver these services, the emissions from these same activities operated by the contractor/partner would also be included for new contracts or after a contract renewal.

The rationale for including contracted out services was to establish a level playing field amongst all local governments. The rational for phasing them in was to provide local governments with an opportunity to influence emissions during the next contract, and difficulty in data collection in some present circumstances.

Exclusions

Exclusions are activities that are beyond these traditional services, e.g. social housing, utilities, tree farms, buildings leased to institutions outside local government.

Offsets

The GCC is working with local governments and the Province to enable the sale or purchase of valid local or regional offsets through an offset system that is in keeping with the principles of other credible offset certification systems, including the Pacific Carbon Trust.

Investing in offsets stimulates innovation in BC communities. / City of Dawson Creek wind monitorInvesting in offsets stimulates innovation in BC communities. / City of Dawson Creek wind monitorOffset: Investment in Innovation

An offset is an emission reduction credit purchased from another organization for a project that results in less carbon dioxide or other greenhouse gases emitted into the atmosphere than would have otherwise occur. The buyer subtracts the offset, normally measured in tons of CO2 equivalent (CO2e) from its own emission inventoryi.

Criteria and Credibility

A credible offset purchase stimulates emission reduction activity that would not have otherwise happened. Such an offset meets the criterion of additionality. This means in the absence of the financing from the sale of offsets, the project would not have happened. This is the cornerstone of offsetting. It means that your offset purchase is supporting emission reduction activities that would otherwise not be viable. At the same time, the price put on carbon established by offsets stimulates investment in innovative technologies and practices throughout local government.

On the long run offset purchases can help emission reduction activity hurdle technological and market barriers and become mainstream, everything from micro-renewable energy to building efficiency technologies.

Other high quality offset criteria include verification by a third party, sold or counted only once, and measureable.

 

Program Support

Toolkit.bc.ca is the first stage of a program to help local governments reduce their carbon footprint and achieve carbon neutrality. The GCC is working with the Climate Action Secretariat to develop a number of services, including support for reporting. Services being developed include:

  • Draft Guidance: Carbon Neutral Local Government – Helping local Governments Understand How to be Carbon Neutral in Their Corporate Operations, often referred to as the Workbook. This document is intended to support local governments as they work towards becoming carbon neutral in their corporate operations. Download here.

  • Reporting Guidelines to provide guidance on boundaries and conducting an inventory
  • An Inventory Tool to enable local governments to carry out their own inventory through an automated spreadsheet
  • A Training Program to help local governments conduct their own inventories and begin to use them as strategic GHGi and business management tools

The GCC is also exploring other opportunities to support local governments in reducing their emissions.

Resources