GTHA carbon emissions on track to return to pre-pandemic levels, report warns
CBC
The Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area is on track to reach pre-pandemic levels of carbon emissions, according to a new report released on Tuesday.
The report from The Atmospheric Fund (TAF), which describes itself on its website as a "regional climate agency that invests in low-carbon solutions," says the drop in emissions at the height of pandemic lockdowns is now being reversed.
Julia Langer, TAF's CEO, told CBC Toronto the increase is a disappointing trend.
"The dramatic emission reduction that we saw due to working from home and the cars off the road is starting to come back," she said.
"We're going in the wrong direction."
According to the report, GTHA carbon emissions decreased by 13.4 per cent in 2020. The researchers looked at data from Toronto, Hamilton, Halton, Peel, York, and Durham and found emissions increased in the region by 4.5 per cent (2.2 million tonnes) in 2021.
When compared with data from previous years, the report found there has been little progress made in the GTHA since 2015. TAF said a six per cent year-over-year decrease is necessary to hit most cities' 2030 emission targets.
The report also provides a roadmap to address the emissions issue, Langer said.
"It is challenging, but it is possible," she said. "The tools are there."
According to the report, buildings (44 per cent), transportation (31 per cent), and industry (20 per cent) are responsible for the majority of emissions in 2021. Waste and agriculture are responsible for the remaining four per cent.
The research also found that emissions from electricity rose by 28 per cent, attributed to the increasing use of natural gas-powered generating plants.
Sarah Buchanan, with the Toronto Environmental Alliance, told CBC Toronto that much of that natural gas use in Toronto comes from buildings.
Building new green buildings and retrofitting existing buildings is a huge growth opportunity for the city, she said.
"It's going to take a lot of work to retrofit every building in Toronto and to make sure new buildings are built to much higher standards, Buchanan said.
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