Plans taking shape as Sudbury plans for climate change

It's been more than two months since Greater Sudbury declared a climate change emergency in the city.

Since the motion to declare an emergency passed city council in May, several programs and projects were put into development.

Jennifer Babin-Fenske, the coordinator of Earth Care Sudbury, a partnership between the city, residents and 150 community groups, said they're working on the final touches of the community energy emissions plan.

"The final document will have different actions and little goals," Babin-Fenske said. "But the final goal…[is] to be net zero by 2050."

The approach is two-fold, Babin-Fenske said. Group initiatives include programs that help react to climate change, as well as adapting to continuing climate change.

She gives the example of how the city distributes rain barrels.

"There are rebates if you want to purchase a rain barrel," she said. "And that will help with perhaps stormwater management, or when there are large rain rain events that will help collect your stormwater to prevent flooding in your yard."

"But on the other side it will help collect that water for the alternative which are the drought days and we're having a lot more heat days," she said.

Babin-Fenske added that the plan, titled PowerNow Greater Sudbury, took about 18 months to develop.

"It's actually a community plan, so it will have actions for both the city, the community and community partners," she said.

"It will be talking about how we can reduce our greenhouse gas emissions, how we can reduce our energy use, and also look at alternative energy...sustainable energy production."

Babin-Fenske said she expects the city to have the final plan ready by the end of this year.