Item - 2016.PE9.4

This report provides an update on the City's progress towards meeting its greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets using data collected for the year 2013. City Council directed the Environment and Energy Division (EED) to provide annual updates on Toronto's greenhouse gas emissions in relation to the greenhouse gas emissions targets adopted by City Council, in 2007, in the report titled Climate Change, Clean Air and Sustainable Energy Action Plan: Moving from Framework to Action (the "Climate Change Action Plan").

Toronto's greenhouse gas emissions inventory was first published in 2007, utilizing data from 2004. In 2015, the methodology applied by Toronto to measure its greenhouse gas emissions was audited by experts contracted by the C40 Cities organization as part of the Compact of Mayors for Climate Change. Their audit identified that Toronto's inventory methodology met its standards for compliance with a global protocol called the Global Cities Protocol.

Overall, city-wide emissions in Toronto have dropped by approximately 24 percent since 1990 levels and about 18 percent since 2004 levels.  On a corporate level, the City has reduced its emissions by 46 percent from 1990 levels and 25 percent from 2004.  This is similar to the emission reduction levels reported in 2014 based on 2012 data, highlighting that yearly reductions are more incremental now that the phase out of the use of coal to generate electricity is complete. Opportunities to seek deeper carbon emissions reductions will be explored in the City's TransformTO project launched in early 2015.

It should be noted that the transportation emissions reported in this inventory are the same as reported in the 2008, 2011 and 2012 inventories despite efforts to update this information for 2013.  The EED is working with Transportation Services to update and improve this part of the inventory for future reports.  The lack of more current transportation information, also means that this report does not discuss changes in air quality because transportation emissions are considered to be a significant source of emissions that effect air quality and better data is required to more accurately discuss these emissions.