Canadian municipal response to climate change, a framework for analyzing barriers

grantor: University of TorontoOver the last decade, world attention has begun to focus on the environmental problem of climate change. Despite ongoing international negotiations discussing emission reduction opportunities, local government level of action is where success is being achieved. In Canada, municipal government has direct or indirect control over 52.2% of domestic greenhouse gas emissions. Yet despite this control, in 1998, only 53 of over 4000 municipalities were known to have emission reductions efforts in place. While municipal government in Canada has the potential to make a significant contribution toward helping Canada meet its commitment to the Kyoto Target, municipal potential remains unrealized. However, no comprehensive investigation into Canadian municipal response to climate change had ever been completed. This research represents the first comprehensive examination Canadian municipal response to climate change. Through a survey of staff at all Canadian municipal governments with populations greater than 10,000 people and using the data collected from the 236 municipal governments that responded to the survey (of a total of 393, a response rate of 60.3%), the extent to which municipal government has responded to climate change is determined and the potential role that information, political priority and capacity barriers play in preventing response is evaluated according to a framework for understanding barriers. The framework presented here contributes to advancing our understanding of the challenges faced by local government in responding to a global environmental issue. The barriers identified through this research suggest that local government capacity and interest in addressing environmental issues is compromised by factors central to issues of governance and the relationship between local government and higher levels of government. These barriers are then considered in light of future action that could lead to wider-spread municipal response to climate change in Canada. Recommendations for new research are developed and a number of policy and program recommendations for future action are offered.Ph.D