Greening the Economy Federal-Municipal Policy Alignment
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The report discusses the alignment of federal and municipal policies in fostering a green economy in Canada, emphasizing the economic and environmental benefits of municipal actions. It identifies significant opportunities for growth in the green economy, highlighting tools and strategies municipalities can use to contribute to federal goals such as climate change mitigation and improved public health. The alignment of policies is crucial for maximizing the potential of municipal actions to achieve these benefits effectively.
Greening the Economy Federal-Municipal Policy Alignment
- 1. Greening the Economy Federal-‐Municipal Policy Alignment David Thompson Director, Sustainable Communi8es Sustainable Prosperity www.sustainableprosperity.ca February 8, 2012
- 2. Report Overview • Green Economy • What it means • Opportuni8es • Municipal Ac8on • GE Benefits & Advantages • Federal Policy Alignment Making markets work for the environment 2
- 3. Meaning of GE in Canada: Observed NaConal Goals • Economic growth • Higher employment levels • Public debt reduc8on Green • Climate change mi8ga8on • Economy Clean water & air • Reduced waste Making markets work for the environment 3
- 4. Green Economy OpportuniCes – Green economy is growing • Globally, green economy worth over $4 trillion – Canadian sustainability market (green tech and services) • $2.3 billion in 2010 • $3.7 billion by 2014 – Canada significant opportunity for further growth • sustainability ranking 24th out of 25 in OECD Making markets work for the environment 4
- 5. MunicipaliCes can help achieve goals Federal green economy goals Municipal ac8ons Making markets work for the environment 5
- 6. Diverse, EffecCve Municipal Policy Tools – Planning – Zoning – Development control – Establishment of protected areas – Adjus8ng property taxes, user fees & user taxes – Capital cost financing assistance – Procurement policies Making markets work for the environment 6
- 7. Key Municipal GE AcCon Areas – Sustainable transporta8on – Efficient urban land use – Energy efficiency of buildings – Renewable energy – Water treatment and conserva8on – Solid waste management Making markets work for the environment 7
- 8. GE Benefits & Advantages – Across many sectors of economy – Na8on-‐wide, not isolated regions – In rural areas, towns, ci8es of all sizes – Bang-‐for-‐buck Making markets work for the environment 8
- 9. and services sectors, and production. As it turns out, across regions, provinces and green economy sectors pro- REPORT FOLLOWS the national economy. Invest- vide relatively high levels of THAT CONVENTION. ments benefit not only those employment and GDP impact who are directly employed, per dollar invested. GE Benefits & Advantages but many others. Indeed, FIGURE 6: CANADIAN EMPLOYMENT MULTIPLIERS – SELECTED SECTORS (DIRECT AND INDIRECT EMPLOYMENT) Bang-‐for-‐Buck: job-‐crea8on of different investments CONSTRUCTION REPAIR AND MAINTENANCE PROFESSIONAL, SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNICAL SERVICES TRANSIT AND GROUND PASSENGER TRANSPORTATION OTHER MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT SERVICES OIL AND GAS EXTRACTION DIRECT SUPPORT ACTIVITIES FOR MINING, OIL & GAS EXTRACTION INDIRECT PETROLEUM AND COAL PRODUCTS MANUFACTURING 0 5 10 15 20 25 PERSON-YEARS EMPLOYMENT PER $MILLION INVESTED Source: Statistics Canada, “National Input-Output Multipliers”71 Making markets work for the environment 9 Building a Green Economy for Canada: The Role of Municipalities /
- 10. Federal Policy Alignment • Untapped municipal poten8al for achieving GE benefits • Municipali8es oden swimming against bigger policy 8de • Could achieve more with federal policies aligned Making markets work for the environment 10
- 11. Federal Policy Alignment Can Leverage Municipal AcCon – Predictable long-‐term infra. funding, emphasizing: • Sustainable transporta8on • Climate change adapta8on – Energy efficiency building retrofits – Subsidy reform – Knowledge and capacity building – Na8onal user fee policy – Harmonize carbon prices (implicit and explicit) – Extended producer responsibility framework Making markets work for the environment 11
- 12. Policy Alignment? Sprawl and Sustainable TransportaCon Federal GE goals: climate change mi8ga8on, cleaner air Municipal ac8ons: Development charge & property tax adjustments Making markets work for the environment 12
- 13. Policy Misalignment Sprawl and Sustainable TransportaCon Federal GE goals: climate change mi8ga8on, cleaner air Subsidies, Externalized costs (smog, GHGs…) Municipal ac8ons: Development charge & property tax adjustments Making markets work for the environment 13
- 14. Policy Alignment: Sprawl and Sustainable TransportaCon Federal GE goals: climate change mi8ga8on, cleaner air Reformed subsidies, costs internalized (user fees, c-‐price…) Municipal ac8ons: Development charge & property tax adjustments Making markets work for the environment 14
- 15. David Thompson Director, Sustainable Communi8es Sustainable Prosperity dthompson@sustainableprosperity.ca www.sustainableprosperity.ca Making markets work for the environment 15