**Carbon Credits: Compensating for City’s Emissions**
The City of Duncan’s climate action plan is to track its emissions and purchase carbon credits to remain carbon neutral, as signatories of the climate action charter. Here is how it works:
- To track emissions, the city calculates the amount of fuel purchased and put through its machinery as well as fuel purchased by city contractors.
- It then calculates the net emissions and purchases carbon offsets or credits to counterbalance the negative impact.
- This approach ensures that the city reduces its overall carbon footprint.
For the year 2024, the council has decided to purchase 217 carbon credits, worth approximately $6,500. These offsets have been acquired through the Ostrom Climate for the Great Bear Forest Carbon Project.
Carbon Credits Acquisition
| Project Details | Purchased in 2023 | Purchased in 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| Credit Location | Duncan | Central Coast of British Columbia |
| Credit Amount | 151 | 217 |
| Natural Project Location | Great Bear Rainforest | Great Bear Rainforest |
The money for the carbon credits acquired in 2024 comes from the city’s reserve funds for its climate action program. The credit costs are relatively similar to those incurred in previous years, considering that Duncan has emitted more in 2024 due to various construction projects.
Expert Opinion
Coun. Garry Bruce, who disagreed with the purchase of the 217 carbon credits, stated that the current climate science may be unreliable and questioned the effectiveness of the carbon strategy.
“I think the carbon strategy is not accomplishing much, and that money would be better spent on other areas. I have some doubts about the climate science, which makes me even more skeptical about this purchase.”
On the other hand, Bernice Crossman, finance director for the city, argued that acquiring these credits demonstrates Duncan’s commitment to reducing its carbon footprint, and highlights the city’s efforts towards being carbon neutral by every year, as required by the climate action charter.
“We purchase credits to compensate for our greenhouse gas emissions, aiming to minimize our carbon footprint. Duncan participates in several initiatives, including the climate action charter and the purchase of credits from local sources, showcasing our commitment to carbon offsetting.
To support its commitment, the city tracks its emissions through the following variables:
- Fuel purchased by the city’s machinery
- Fuel consumed by contractors
- A mix of fuel consumption and other factors such as air travel and waste management.
The idea of compensating for its carbon emissions with a purchase of carbon credits highlights Duncan’s efforts to counterbalance its negative impact and maintain a relatively low carbon footprint. This is an ongoing challenge that not all cities can meet. However, with the help of the carbon offset credits, city’s residents can feel good about their carbon footprint reduction.
The Future of Climate Action
Duncan’s efforts towards a carbon-neutral future will be monitored by the city’s climate action program, ensuring that its carbon footprint remains controlled and balanced. Moreover, Duncan will continue to seek new ways to acquire carbon offset credits from local and domestic sources, which will support its mission to maintain a sustainable environment.
