Vision 2020
Vision 2020 is a vision of a strong healthy, sustainable Hamilton shared by citizens, City Council, businesses and organizations. Since its adoption in 1992, the vision has been renewed every five years since.
Vision 2020 works to support and implement sustainable initiatives, research the affects of environmental impacts on Hamilton , and educate the public on building a sustainable community. Through these actions, Vision 2020 helps the City reach its GHG reduction targets in the Air Quality and Climate Change Action Plan. Vision 2020 also releases annual indicators reports describing in detail the progress of achieving Vision 2020 goals in Hamilton.
Climate Change
Climate Change refers to the long term change in average weather patterns resulting from the release of substantial amounts of greenhouse gases (GHGs), such as carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, etc. into the planet’s atmosphere. These emissions alter the chemical composition of the atmosphere, resulting in intensification of the earth’s natural greenhouse effect.
Climate change can be caused by natural processes, such as a change in the sun’s strength, and by human activities. Scientific consensus has been reached that increased fossil fuel use and permanent forest loss since pre-industrial times has resulted in atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases growing significantly, leading to accelerated changes in our climate.
Corportate Air Quality and Climate Change Action Plan
The City of Hamilton is addressing climate change through the Corportate Air Quality and Climate Change Action Plan. The City is committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions with a 10% reduction of 2005 levels by 2012, followed by a 20% reduction by 2020. To meet these goals, the City introduced the Corporate Air Quality and Climate Change Action Plan. In 2006, Council implemented Phase I of the Corporate Air Quality and Climate Change Action Plan, and in 2008, moved forward with Phase 2 of the Action Plan.
The City has undertaken an Air Pollutant & Greenhouse Gas Inventory to measure the City of Hamilton's emissions reductions against the targets. Please view the report for more information.
Clean Air Hamilton
The City of Hamilton is also dedicated to improving air quality throughout the city. Clean Air Hamilton improves the quality of life, protects the health of citizens, and helps drive Hamilton towards a more sustainable future. This is done by working closely with groups that conduct studies and monitor air quality around Hamilton, supporting and implementing clean air initiatives, and educating the public on air quality issues such as smog.
Air Quality
Air Quality has significant direct and indirect impacts on community health, the environment and the economy of Hamilton. Clean air can be compromised by the presence of air pollutants that come from local sources such as personal and commercial vehicles, industry, and energy use for heating and cooling. The key air pollutants are released when fossil fuels such as coal, oil, gasoline, diesel and natural gas are burned for the purposes of transportation or energy in both industrial and personal uses.
The quality of air we breathe is important to the public and the ability to live in a breathable city is of added value to families and communities across Ontario.
Clean air strategies help in the fight against climate change, as measures which promote efficient land use changes, more efficient use of fossil fuels and/or a switch to cleaner sources of energy will reduce emissions of both smog-causing and greenhouse gases.