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Badge of honour awarded to Nanaimo for its leadership in climate action

Nanaimo is globally recognized as a Showcase City for climate adaptation

NEWS RELEASE - Distributed March 2, 2021 1:00 PM

Summary

The City of Nanaimo is among twenty-five municipalities across Canada working together through an intensive pilot program focusing on local climate action. Led by the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy (GCoM) Canada, these municipalities have been working together to review and share best practices to lower greenhouse gas emissions and prepare for a changing climate.

As part of a key milestone, Nanaimo has been awarded the Adaptation Badge for its Climate Resilience Strategy, which has met the requirements set by GCoM on climate change adaptation and integrated climate action planning.

Adopted by Council in 2020, the City's Climate Change Resilience Strategy outlines how Nanaimo will adapt to climate change over the coming decades. The Strategy looks at what actions the City will need to take to prepare the climate change affecting City infrastructure, park management, land-use planning and emergency planning.

By participating in this pilot program, Nanaimo has been recognized as a leader on local climate action both nationally and internationally. This sets up the conditions for further success as Nanaimo moves forward with updating its Climate Action Plan and moves toward a post-pandemic recovery.

Link to Strategic Plan: Participation in the Showcase Cities pilot program supports Council's vision for a livable, environmentally sustainable community.

Key Points

  • Nanaimo has been recognized by the intensive Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy Showcase Cities pilot program for its accomplishments in preparing for a climate-change-resilient future, establishing itself as one of 25 leading Canadian communities taking action against climate change.
  • During the pilot program, the City of Nanaimo focused its efforts on climate change adaptation and produced a new set of goals, identified in the Climate Change Resilience Strategy (adopted by Council in 2020).

Quotes

"Studies show that we’re facing higher temperatures, sea level rise and more extreme weather in the coming decades. While that may seem like a long time out, remember this: the damage we do now, we won’t be able to undo. Sustainable choices today will save our tomorrow, and programs like this are helping us to lead the way."

Leonard Krog
Mayor
City of Nanaimo

"Preparing for the challenges that a changing climate presents for Nanaimo has been an important pillar in our Climate action efforts. Now we must really turn to dialling in our mitigation efforts to ensure Nanaimo is doing it’s part in keeping the global temperature from rising past a perilous 1.5 degrees Celsius."

Ben Geselbracht
Councillor
City of Nanaimo

Quick Facts

  • In April 2019, Council declared a Climate Emergency and set new, long-term community-wide emission reduction targets.
  • The GCoM Canada is piloting this approach, which will build on FCM and ICLEI’s more than 25 years of experience in delivering climate change programs in Canada.
  • The Global Covenant of Mayors Canada is a collaboration between the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM), ICLEI-Local Governments for Sustainability, the Global Covenant of Mayors Secretariat and the International Urban Cooperation Project supported by funding from the European Union.
  • GCoM cities around the world have committed to doing their part to solve the climate crisis. They are calling for a green recovery, ensuring that cities are the centrepiece in the effort to grow back greener, healthier and more resilient.
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Contact:

Jeremy Holm
Director, Development Approvals
City of Nanaimo
250-755-4445

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