Climate Change Dreams:Nightmares, Visions and Realities

Communicating Solutions not Problems

: St. Francis Xavier University

CREATE – June 9, 2011Julian Boyle, P.Eng, Energy Manager

Why do YOU care about climate change?

Increase in Carbon Dioxide

Source: http://www.zero-carbon-or-climate-catastrophe.org/image-files/1000-years-of-carbon-emissions.gif

Increase in Global Population

Depletion of Oil Reserves

Source: http://peakoilportfolio.com/yahoo_site_admin/assets/images/PeakGraph.160111150_std.jpg

Moral and Social Implications

Why Does HRM Care?

Large and diverse interest in climate change

Cities in General

• Are vulnerable to climate change

• Are part of a global urbanization trend

• Contain 50% of global population, yet produce 80% of GHG

• Need to effectively plan for:

• Modes of transportation

• Where and how people live

• Economic opportunities

• Where people work

• Quality of life Source: http://r3.iad04t03.c.bigcache.googleapis.com/static.panoramio.com/photos/original/3665599.jpg?redirect_counter=2&st=ts

Why a local interest in reducing GHG’s?

• By promoting the reduction or mitigation of GHG’s

cities can benefit by impacting…

• The quality of living

• Opportunities

• Competitiveness

The need to reduce GHG’s wasn’t so obvious as a short time ago…

• No regional planning existed

• No capacity considered

• No understanding of issues

• No language on climate change

• No Dialogue

HRM Milestones• 1997:• Committed to 20% reduction of 1997 levels by 2012• Blind commitment

• 2005:• Committed to 20% reduction of 2002 levels by 2012

Application of Formal Policy, HRM• 2004:GHG Inventory• 2005:GHG Action Plan• 2006:25-year Regional Plan• 2007:Community Energy Plan

GHG Inventory

GHG Action Plan

Regional Plan

Community Energy Plan

The process of adapting a formal policy

• Increases:

• Awareness

• Dialogue

• Understanding

• Education

• Benefits

• Costs

Climate Change Education

Steep knowledge climb on climate change aided by:

• Several extreme weather events

• Rapidly increasing fossil fuel costs

• “Umbrella” of sustainability initiatives

• Created tangible results

Source: http://www.ldmsoftware.com/Community/Hurricane/YHZ/Index.htm

Lessons Learned: Communication

1. Timing matters: Make sure the audience is ready;

2. Detail of content: Use specifics when forming “big picture” i.e. sea level rise, fossil fuel costs, etc;

3. Identify problem: Forward the problem with questions that have probable solutions;

4. Initiatives: Use multiple lenses to frame effectively.

Thank you for your time

QUESTIONS?

COMMENTS?

CONCERNS?