Hamilton's Climate Action Strategy

Recruitment for the CCAC is now open!
The City is creating a first ever Community Climate Change Advisory Committee (CCAC) - an important piece of Hamilton’s Climate Action Strategy.
We are now accepting applications from community members interested in serving on the CCAC between June 8, 2023 and July 7, 2023. Applications must be submitted by July 7 at 4:30 pm.
On March 27, 2019 Hamilton City Council declared a Climate Change Emergency. The City of Hamilton is on a mission to achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 and prepare for the unavoidable impacts of climate change.
Locally climate change can be seen as:
- the increased frequency and severity of heat waves resulting in heat related illnesses and drought conditions;
- the increased severity and frequency of storms, including heavy precipitation leading to flooding, shoreline and escarpment erosion
- the increased frequency and severity of temperature and precipitation leading to the increased replacement and maintenance costs of roads and transportation infrastructure.
Climate change affects everyone. the impacts of climate change cause millions of dollars of infrastructure damage, damage homes and businesses, and put people’s health and safety at risk.
These negative effects will worsen as the level of greenhouse gas in the atmosphere continues to rise. Just as the City is taking action, it is critical that everyone who lives, works, plays and learns in Hamilton makes changes to reduce their carbon footprint at home, at work, and in their everyday lives.
Hamilton’s Climate Action Strategy
Hamilton’s Climate Action Strategy is the City’s next evolution in the response to the Climate Change Emergency Declaration. Approved in August 2022, there are several actions the City, and broader community, continue to undertake to accelerate Hamilton’s transition to a prosperous, equitable, resilient post-carbon City.
Central to environmental sustainability and climate resiliency is changing how the City works and advancing municipal climate policy to make a positive difference on the organization and the community. Hamilton’s Climate Action Strategy advances the City’s response to the Climate Change Emergency Declaration and consists of two major steams:
- climate mitigation: reduction of greenhouse gases (the cause of climate change)
- climate adaptation: decreasing impacts and preparing for unavoidable impacts of a changing climate