MOTION ON NOTICE

At the Council meeting of November 5, 2002, Councillor Bass submitted the following Notice of Motion which was recognized by the Chair.

2. Letter to the Premier asking him to respond positively to the Kyoto Protocol

WHEREAS Vancouver City Council has already gone on record in support of Canadian ratification of the Kyoto Protocol in line with similar resolutions from the Federation of Canadian Municipalities and other cities representing approximately 18 million Canadians;

AND WHEREAS climate change now impacts and offers future risks to BC's resource industries such as forestry, agriculture, tourism, fishing and agriculture in the form of insect outbreaks, erratic weather and higher water and air temperatures;

AND WHEREAS such impacts could result in economic losses of hundreds of millions of dollars annually, in addition to significant social and ecological damages;

AND WHEREAS experience and analysis from leading jurisdictions and corporations has demonstrated that energy efficiency and greenhouse gas reduction actions with today's technologies result in net economic and ecological gains;

AND WHEREAS analysis of Canada's experience with energy efficiency measures in the decade up to 2000 saved Canadians $8.7 billion in the year 2000 in reduced energy costs and avoided 38 megatonnes of greenhouse gas emissions;

AND WHEREAS a transition to energy efficiency and renewable energy forms will create more new jobs than capital-intensive fossil fuel energy developments;

AND WHEREAS an effective strategy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in Canada will also reduce conventional air pollutants which cause thousands of premature deaths and widespread illness and absenteeism;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Vancouver City Council resolve that a letter from the Mayor and Council be sent to Premier Gordon Campbell urging him to:

· support Canada's ratification of the Kyoto Protocol before Christmas 2002 as committed by Prime Minister Chretien;

· work constructively with the federal, provincial and territorial governments to put positive solutions for energy efficiency, sustainable forestry, and renewable energy in place as rapidly as possible, with emphasis upon those that support economic innovation, stronger cities, and healthier communities;

· reflect the widespread public support in Vancouver and in British Columbia for constructive action on behalf of future generations in addressing climate change and air pollution.

(c) 1998 City of Vancouver