FAQ

The City of Vernon is developing a Climate Action Plan that will position the City so that, “In 2050, Vernon is a leader in climate action, with significantly reduced greenhouse gas emissions and is resilient to the changing climate”.

The City of Vernon is taking action to:

1. reduce local emissions that are the driving force behind climate change (this is called mitigation)
2. prepare for the impacts of climate change on the community (this is called adaptation).

The goal is to maximize benefits for residents and businesses while at the same time helping to avoid hazards, costs and disruptions associated with climate change impacts.

Weather is what is happening from day to day, and that can be up or down. 

The climate is the overall trend of the weather in the long term and that is going up.

The weather has always varied widely but is predicted to vary more than usual with climate change

Here are some of the impacts we are already experiencing and the modeling tells us that we can expect these changes to continue, even if we reduce emissions:

1. Warmer temperatures in the winter and fewer days below freeze thaw cycles (causes problems with road surfaces)
2. More extreme hot days and longer dry spells in the summer (A/C costs, need for cooling stations)
3. More precipitation in the fall, winter and spring (more rain)
4. Increased frequency and intensity of precipitation (big storms)
5. Changes to streamflow patterns (shifting times for high water)
6. Smaller snowpack (impacts such as drought and tourism)

These are based on the latest climate modelling results for the North Okanagan region, from the Pacific Climate Impacts Consortium (PCIC).

Timing for the finalization of the Climate Action Plan has been impacted by COVID-19. The planning process was modified so that Council could review immediate priorities for the 2021 budget process. The rest of the plan will be delivered in Fall of 2020.

A modified community engagement plan is being developed for the summer of 2020. Stay tuned for more ways to participate.

For more information you can contact the City of Vernon at sustainability@vernon.ca or check out the vernon.ca/climateaction page on our website.

The City has created a team of climate ambassadors who are trained to share information with and gather feedback from their networks. The ambassadors are kept up to date on the planning process and share a presentation or have coffee conversations. The city and the climate action advisory committee provide support to this amazing team of community volunteers.

For more information reach out by email to sustainability@vernon.ca.