Date
The purpose of this paper is to highlight the actions some local governments in B.C. are undertaking to reduce GHG emissions, explore mapping pathways informed by community energy and emissions modelling, and provide further ideas related to becoming a low carbon community.
This paper begins with identifying a “vision” of a low carbon community and presents examples of how some European communities have already made significant progress towards becoming carbon neutral community-wide. By considering the systems and strategies employed by these communities, local governments in B.C. can develop a better understanding of what is required to become a low or zero-carbon community.
Based on the experience of European communities, supporting compact, complete communities that focus on the use of renewable energies and district energy systems can significantly contribute to ambitious GHG reduction.
The review of those B.C. communities with long-term GHG emission reduction plans indicates that they have already identified a number of the key strategies required.These same communities have also identified a range of co-benefits directly in line with these strategies, including community economic development, energy security and energy cost control.