City of Saskatoon is one of 95 global cities named as new generation of climate leaders on CDP 2021 A List
Saskatoon has been recognized by CDP as one of 95 cities across the globe, and one of only 7 Canadian cities, that are taking bold leadership on environmental action and transparency.
CDP is a global non-profit that runs the world’s environmental disclosure system for companies, cities, states, and regions. Designed to encourage and support cities to ramp up their climate action and ambition, CDP’s Cities A List is based on environmental data disclosed by cities to their unified reporting system.
To score an A, a city must disclose publicly and have a city-wide emissions inventory, have set an emissions reduction target and a renewable energy target for the future, and have published a climate action plan. It must also complete a climate risk and vulnerability assessment and have a climate adaptation plan to demonstrate how it will tackle climate hazards. Many A List cities are also taking a variety of other leadership actions, including political commitment from a city’s Mayor to tackle climate change.
“We’re proud to be among the 7 Canadian cities leading the way on climate action,” says Jeanna South, Director of Sustainability. “The actions in our Climate Action Plan guide the City and the community over the next 30 years to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and make Saskatoon more resilient against the changing climate.”
A List cities are taking twice as many mitigation and adaptation measures as non-A List cities, and also identify more than twice as many opportunities. Local examples include Saskatoon’s Home Energy Loan Program to help homeowners improve the energy performance of their homes, and the upcoming 2.2 MW Dundonald Avenue Solar Farm to enable Saskatoon Light & Power to generate renewable electricity for their customers.
“What gets measured, gets managed – Saskatoon is committed to managing its environmental risks and impact, and to building a safe and secure city for people to live and work in,” says Mayor Charlie Clark. “Disclosing information is a critical step towards taking the right action, and towards cities and governments at all levels developing the right climate change policies.”
Saskatoon, and the other cities on this year’s A List, are also celebrated for showing that urgent and impactful climate action is achievable at a global level, and in cities with different climate realities and priorities. However, actions need to go further and faster to meet the new targets agreed at the UN Climate Change Conference (COP26) held in Glasgow earlier this month.
Visit cdp.net o view the full 2021 A List of cities and to find out more about this ambitious initiative.