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?
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