There could soon be a climate emergency declared for the Central Okanagan.
The Regional District of the Central Okanagan (RDCO) board members are set to vote on whether to declare a climate emergency during a board meeting Monday night.
The motion follows a similar declaration made by the federal government in June and follows dozens of other municipalities across the country who have also declared a climate emergency.
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The motion will address the following factors caused by climate change:
- contributing to property and infrastructure damage worldwide
- jeopardizing the health and survival of many species and natural environments worldwide
- currently harming human populations globally through rising sea levels and other extraordinary phenomena like intense wildfires, droughts, floods and storms worldwide
In the latter potion of the motion, it states what the Central Okanagan needs to do on its own to fight climate change.
This includes developing a reserve fund to lower the district’s CO2 emissions by 58 per cent, implementing a regional action plan to help stop the earth from warming beyond 1.5 degrees Celsius in the years to come, and requesting more help from the province to help combat regional impacts from climate change.
If approved, the motion would be historic for the region. Earlier this year, Kelowna Mayor Colin Basran struck down a proposed motion to declare a climate emergency in the city.
Climate Change has been an ongoing issue for many Central Okanagan residents. In September, hundreds of Kelownian’s attended multiple climate change rallies in various locations across the city
For more information on the RDCO agenda, you can visit their website.
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