Climate Change

The District of Sooke passed a resolution on February 12, 2008 agreeing to sign on to the Climate Action Charter. The Charter recognizes the need for action on climate change and the important role that the Provincial Government and local governments can play in promoting change. By signing the charter, local governments are agreeing to develop strategies and take action to achieve the following three goals:

  1. Become carbon neutral in respect to municipal operations by 2012;
  2. Measuring and reporting on the community’s GHG emissions profile;
  3. Creating a complete, compact, and more energy efficient community.

Some of the goals the District agreed to by signing onto the BC Climate Action Charter are:

  • to develop strategies and take actions aimed at reducing GHG emissions;
  • to become carbon neutral in respect to municipal operations by 2012;
  • to remove barriers such as existing policies and procedures that impede taking action on climate change;
  • to encourage infrastructure and a built environment that supports economic and social needs of the community while minimizing environmental impacts.

The charter itself does not specify a reduction target for municipal operations; however, the Charter does refer to other commitments that the Province has made which include the target to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 33 percent from 2007 levels by 2020.