Saanich councillors have stepped up targets for reducing carbon emissions in response to an earlier resolution to declare a climate emergency.
On Monday councillors agreed unanimously to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 50 per cent below 2007 levels by 2030 and become a net-zero emission community by 2050.
The new targets replace an earlier one, established in 2017, calling for reductions of 80 per cent by 2050.
The move follows a Saanich council declaration in March of a climate emergency. The Capital Regional District made a similar declaration in February.
The United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change warned last year the world has about 12 years to take action to keep average global temperature increases to 1.5 C or less.
The UN panel predicted severe droughts, flooding, extreme heat and poverty should the world’s average temperature increase by more than 1.5 C.
