This week, the City of Edmonton declared a climate emergency.
The city council there is calling for a 10-year action plan to combat the climate crisis. The declaration is intended to speed up efforts to cut carbon emissions in the city.
During the council meeting Tuesday, Edmonton Mayor Don Iveson noted that an emergency is defined as a serious, unexpected and often dangerous situation requiring immediate action.
“Does this fit this test? I think it does,” Iveson told council.
The Climate Emergency Declaration movement began in Australia in 2016. According to its website, as of Aug. 26, 957 jurisdictions worldwide have declared climate emergencies, including more than 400 in Canada.
WATCH: Greta Thunberg on climate change: ‘We are in an emergency’. Story continues below.
Ottawa declared a climate emergency in April. The decision incurs a one-time cost of $250,000, which will go towards renewable energy and energy conservation programs, as well as conducting an analysis of its goals for reducing greenhouse-gas emissions. The city of Vancouver declared one in January. And over 300 municipalities in Quebec have already signed on.
Even Canada’s House of Commons formally declared climate change to be an emergency in June. Green Party Leader Elizabeth May was the only federal party leader present for the debate.
The motion was tabled by Environment Minister Catherine McKenna and recognizes climate change as a “real and urgent crisis, driven by human activity” marked by extreme weather events. The motion moves that the House commit to meeting “national emissions target under the Paris Agreement.”
Here’s a complete list of every jurisdiction in Canada that’s declared a climate emergency, according to climateemergencydeclaration.org:
- Brampton City Council - June 5, 2019
- Burlington City Council - April 23, 2019
- Canadian House of Commons - June 17, 2019
- Capital Regional District - Feb. 13, 2019
- Regional District of Central Kootenay - April 11, 2019
- Chatham-Kent Municipal Council - July 15, 2019
- Colwood City Council - May 27 2019
- Duncan City Council - July 15, 2019
- Edmonton City Council - Aug. 27, 2019
- City of Edmundston - Feb. 19, 2019
- Esquimalt Town Council - Mar. 18, 2019
- Greater Sudbury City Council - May 28, 2019
- Halifax Regional Council - Jan. 29, 2019
- Halton Hills Town Council - May 6, 2019
- Hamilton City Council - Mar. 27, 2019
- District of Highlands Council - Mar. 18, 2019
- Islands Trust Council - Mar. 12, 2019
- Township of King Council - July 8, 2019
- Kitchener City Council - June 24, 2019
- City of Kingston - Mar. 5, 2019
- Langley Town Council - July 22, 2019
- London City Council - April 23, 2019
- Mahone Bay Town Council - Feb. 12, 2019
- Milton Town Council - July 22, 2019
- Mississauga City Council - June 19, 2019
- Moncton City Council - Mar. 18, 2019
- Nanaimo City Council - April 29, 2019
- New Westminster Council - Mar. 11, 2019
- North Cowichan Municipal Council - July 17, 2019
- District of North Vancouver Council - July 8, 2019
- Oak Bay Municipal Council - April 8, 2019
- Oakville Town Council - June 24, 2019
- Ottawa City Council - April 24, 2019
- Port Moody City Council - June 11, 2019
- Powell River City Council - Feb. 21, 2019
- Prince Edward County Council - May 28, 2019
- qathet Regional District Board - June 27, 2019
- 394 different municipalities in Québec since August 2018 (see full list)
- City of Richmond - Feb. 4, 2019
- Saanich District Council - Mar. 25, 2019
- St. Catharines City Council - April 29, 2019
- Sarnia City Council - June 17, 2019
- Sidney Town Council - Mar. 25, 2019
- Smithers Town Council - July 9, 2019
- Sooke District Council - April 8, 2019
- Squamish Council - June 2, 2019
- Vancouver City Council - Jan, 16, 2019
- Vaughan City Council - June 4, 2019
- Victoria City Council - March 14, 2019
- View Royal Town Council - March 5, 2019
- Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation (Old Crow) - May 19, 2019
- West Nipissing Council - April 23, 2019
- District of West Vancouver Council - July 8, 2019
- Whitby Town Council - June 24, 2019
- Wolfville Town Council - May 21, 2019