Climate Emergency

Climate change is a global phenomenon that has significant local impacts including extreme weather conditions, intense droughts, heat waves, severe fires, rising sea levels, flooding, storms, and declining biodiversity.

In 2019, Council declared a climate emergency and committed to taking bold action to achieve the greenhouse gas reductions required to keep global temperature increases below 1.5°C. Council went further through the development of the Seven Bold Steps for Climate Action with the goal of moving New Westminster towards a zero carbon future by 2050.

To measure progress towards the City's climate action and environment goals, staff developed a suite of key performance indicators (KPIs) which were endorsed by Council in July 2021. Since then, the City has taken significant strides to prioritize climate action as a driving motivation for strategic planning and budgeting. To achieve these targets we must also involve the entire community, ensuring special consideration is given to those most vulnerable. At the same time, we must continue to protect our ecosystem and urban forest while preparing for the unavoidable impacts that climate change brings.

View the Climate Action Budgeting Framework presentation to Council on November 4, 2019.

Read the November 4, 2019 media release.

Progress on the seven bold steps and environment

Staff provided an update on progress toward the Seven Bold Steps and Council in January 2025. The update included a snapshot of the City's latest progress along with a detailed summary of the City's progress, which can be found here.