The Regional District of East Kootenay (RDEK) is developing a Climate Action Plan for its six electoral areas to increase climate resilience and reduce emissions contributing to climate change.

As part of this process the RDEK seeking public input via online survey.

“If you live in, own property, or have a business in an RDEK electoral area, your feedback is a critical component in developing the Climate Action Plan,” said RDEK Planner Krista Gilbert.

To help gather public feedback, the RDEK has established a survey that will remain open until November 30. The survey and additional project information can be found on the Climate Action Plan project page: engage.rdek.bc.ca/climate.

“Here in the RDEK we are experiencing things like more extreme wildfires, flooding, hotter summers, and poor air quality from wildfire smoke. These events have a direct impact on the health of residents, and we want to hear about the challenges people are facing around mental, emotional, and community health,” added Gilbert.

“We collectively have an opportunity to reduce our contribution to local greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and to become a more resilient region.”

The Climate Action Plan will focus on mitigation and adaptation. Mitigation includes any actions that work to reduce or prevent the emission of GHGs and is an important part of responding to climate change.

The plan will set targets to reduce community and corporate greenhouse gas emissions, identify actions in key areas that will set out how the RDEK will help meet these targets, and provide guidance on the expenditure of the RDEK’s Local Government Climate Action Program (LGCAP) funds.

Pinna Sustainability has been hired as a consultant to help develop the Plan. The RDEK has also secured additional funding for the project from FortisBC through its Climate Action Partners program.

For more information, visit engage.rdek.bc.ca/climate or contact the RDEK’s Cranbrook office.

RDEK

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