In the past decade, over 2,000 municipalities have acknowledged a climate emergency, but Calgary took a different stance on Wednesday evening. The city council, with a vote of 10-5, decided to retract the climate emergency declaration made over four years ago. Ward 14 Coun. Landon Johnston spearheaded the motion, emphasizing the need for tangible actions over symbolic gestures.
Johnston stated that the existing climate action plan, predating the declaration, had made substantial progress in areas such as flood mitigation and implementing actionable strategies. He emphasized the importance of eliminating ineffective policies and focusing on practical solutions.
Mayor Jeromy Farkas supported the rescinding of the declaration, labeling it as performative. He stressed the necessity of moving beyond symbolic gestures and concentrating on concrete measures to address climate issues.
While the council approved the creation of a centralized online resource detailing expenses and revenue related to climate initiatives, a proposal within Johnston’s motion to eradicate references to the “climate emergency” in official communications was voted down. Additionally, the council reversed a 2019 directive that discontinued the provision of bottled water at meetings to reduce single-use waste.
Coun. Raj Dhaliwal expressed disappointment over the council’s decision to rescind the declaration, advocating for a replacement plan to demonstrate a continued commitment to climate action. He highlighted the declaration’s role in securing funding and fostering partnerships for environmental initiatives.
City officials assured the council that revoking the declaration would not impede funding or hinder Calgary’s climate strategy implementation. However, they cautioned that the city’s reputation could be at risk as it diverges from the global trend of municipalities declaring climate emergencies.
The vote to rescind the declaration followed a previous budget cut of $9 million for climate and environmental initiatives. Some council members, like Coun. Nathaniel Schmidt, opposed the decision, emphasizing the benefits derived from the declaration and questioning the rationale behind its repeal.
The climate emergency declaration marked a significant policy shift during the tenure of the previous city council. While former Mayor Jyoti Gondek championed the declaration, subsequent debates and motions highlighted the ongoing division within the council regarding the declaration’s efficacy.
Council debates surrounding the climate emergency declaration portrayed contrasting views on the necessity and effectiveness of such symbolic gestures. The decision to rescind the declaration underscored the council’s evolving stance on climate policy and its commitment to practical and impactful actions moving forward.