The City of Hamilton is gearing up to introduce its inaugural carbon budget by 2027. This move is part of the city’s commitment to playing a role in reducing global warming by setting a limit on the total amount of carbon emissions permissible. The upcoming pilot phase, slated for the 2027 budget cycle, will initially target specific divisions and capital projects exceeding $250,000, as outlined in a city news release.
During a general issues committee meeting on May 27, council members endorsed the staff-recommended carbon budget. City Manager Marnie Cluckie emphasized in the news release that the carbon budget will enable the city to evaluate the climate impact of its decisions in a manner similar to financial considerations.
Furthermore, the city is in the process of developing a voluntary self-reporting carbon budget system to assist residents, businesses, and organizations in monitoring and reducing their emissions. This initiative stems from the city’s declaration of a climate change emergency in 2019, prompted by a rise in local climate-related challenges such as heatwaves, severe flooding, and erosion along the shoreline and escarpment.
A plan proposed by Environment Hamilton in 2023, led by youth advocates, recommended various measures to reduce Hamilton’s reliance on fossil fuels, including the implementation of a carbon budget. The estimated total allowable corporate emissions, covering areas like waste management, wastewater, and the municipal fleet, are projected at 422,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent, with community-wide emissions estimated at 53 million tonnes.
These emission projections align with the objectives of the Paris Agreement, aiming to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius, with a long-term goal of achieving net-zero emissions by 2050. The carbon budget is scheduled to commence as a pilot and be fully operational by 2030, with staff expected to provide progress updates and recommendations for implementation in the city later in 2027.
At the May 27 meeting, Ward 1 resident Miriam Sager voiced her support for the carbon budget, reflecting concerns shared by the community about climate change. She emphasized that the perception of climate change as a hoax is unfounded. Lucia Iannantuono, a citizen member of the climate change committee, also expressed support for the budget but raised reservations about the effectiveness of the corporate carbon offsets and credits policy proposed in the original report.
The policy, which is presented in a city staff report as a necessary strategy to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions, suggests utilizing carbon offset credits to balance any remaining emissions by 2050. Trevor Imhoff, a senior project manager in the Office of Climate Change Initiatives, explained that third-party companies would evaluate projects offering carbon credits, subsequently making them available on a carbon market for potential purchase by the city.