Climate Action Big Moves: Strategy Development

The Climate Action Big Moves strategy focuses on transportation, buildings, and waste, and articulates the key strategies Whistler will need to further reduce greenhouse gas emissions to meet its targets. The Big Moves approach is being used by many other leading cities and communities, so Whistler is in good company as it embarks on this strategic path.

Overview

The project is being executed in three phases as outlined below. Phase 2 and 3 involve stakeholder and community engagement.

Phase 1: Project planning and draft strategy development (December 2019 – June 2020)

This phase focuses on the development of the draft strategy and ensuring the project is well planned and resourced. It uses the Community Energy Association's Climate Leaders Playbook approach, community monitoring evidence, Whistler’s CECAP, staff expertise and external advisory input to identify six Big Moves for transportation, buildings and waste.

Phase 2: Strategy review, revision and approval (Summer 2020)

This phase focuses on gathering community input and presenting the strategy to Council for approval. The engagement opportunities will convene these stakeholders and continue as we move forward:

Local energy and climate change mitigation experts (including key CECAP advisory group members)
Community members
Key partner organizations

Phase 3: Strategy execution and action planning

This is when the challenging work really begins – but it is also when we have the exciting opportunity to accelerate our journey toward a low-carbon future that is better and brighter for everyone.

Phase 3 focuses on working with the key players needed to advance the Big Moves. And these key players involve everyone – all community members – as well as those entities that can accelerate and catalyze the climate action needed.

More detail will be developed and release about this phase toward the end of phase 2.

Current status

Phase 1 is almost complete and we are launching phase 2 soon.

Background

Building on Whistler’s leading practices to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, Whistler’s Community Energy and Climate Action Plan (CECAP) was developed in 2016, setting out strategic directions and practical actions to further reduce Whistler’s contribution to climate change, as well as recommending prioritized adaptation strategies to prevent or minimize the key potential impacts of projected local climate changes. More than 30 leaders from across the community worked together with the RMOW project management team to develop it. CECAP will remain the comprehensive list of actions for climate, clean energy, and adaptation opportunities for Whistler.

Since the 2016 CECAP update, the need to address climate change has become even more urgent. A recent Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report with new warnings and a more ambitious target and timeline has heightened public concern. We are experiencing global climate strikes, and cities and communities around the world are declaring climate emergencies – all indications that the time to act in a very focused, strategic and collaborative way is now.

To help cities and communities lead and take action in response to the climate crisis, a set of Big Moves were developed by the Community Energy Association to help focus climate mitigation efforts. These Big Moves will help to inform and provide the foundation for Whistler’s focused strategy now being developed.

Funding

Funding for this Climate Action Big Moves project comes from the Climate Action Revenue Incentive Program (CARIP), a provincial grant program that must be allocated toward climate mitigation initiatives. CARIP provides local governments with funding equal to 100 percent of the carbon taxes paid on fossil fuel use related to corporate operations.