Climate | CHRM Consulting

Consumption-based solutions – report and tool

Sam — Mon, 28 Apr 2025 19:40:38 +0000

Consumption-based Solutions for Climate Action Guide

This new resource provides guidance on how BC communities can “Shrink, Share, & Regenerate” to act on their consumption-based emissions and ecological footprints, while also enhancing community well-being. These solutions are needed now more than ever, as we face accelerating geopolitical challenges and planetary crises.

The guide contains:

A Framework for Action: A practical approach to shrink (reduce footprint impacts), share (advance equity), and regenerate (restore nature) across five key leverage points: community planning, buildings, transportation, food, and consumable goods.
Key Priorities: Actionable ideas grounded in the typical ecological and carbon footprints of BC communities.
Getting Started: Step-by-step guidance on implementing these strategies, along with sample metrics to help communities track their progress.

Access the Consumption-based Solutions for Climate Action Guide here.

CBEI and EF Archetype Tool for BC Communities

This new tool provides estimates of consumption-based emission inventories (CBEI) and ecological footprints (EF) for most BC communities and regional districts from 2011-2023. It also includes a typical breakdown of a CBEI for Food, Buildings, Consumables and Waste, and Transportation.

Access the Archetype Tool here.

Video: Carbon budgets, targets and our progress to net zero

site-admin — Tue, 31 Oct 2023 20:07:00 +0000

In October 2023, Ryan Mackie presented to the Climate Caucus on how current greenhouse gas emissions targets and carbon budgeting stand up to the latest climate science, and the importance of a consumption-based approach. He also shared an assessment of our progress so far on the transition to net zero.

Watch the presentation here: https://youtu.be/ilOeksqYiLk?si=xm-gTvtBnbmCvT3g

Webinar: Role of Cities in Advancing Sustainable Lifestyles

Sam — Wed, 28 Jun 2023 22:50:30 +0000

Recently, we hosted an Ecocity Webinar titled “The Role of Cities in Advancing Sustainable Lifestyles”. The webinar explored how local governments and their partners can advance sustainable lifestyles to act on climate, justice, and biodiversity. These lifestyle changes, supported by the right policies, infrastructure and technologies, will be pivotal in the transformative change needed to address our climate and ecological challenges. The good news is that these changes will also improve our health and well-being.

Guest speakers included: Vanessa Timmer, Executive Director, OneEarth Living & Blake Robinson, Urban Futures Studio, Utrecht University.

View the webinar here.

Resources shared during the webinar include:

IMAGE Sustainable Lifestyle (Utrecht University & OneEarth Living): This project is developing qualitative modelling and compelling visions and narratives of alternative future sustainable lifestyle scenarios.
Cities Stockholm+50 High-Level Forum on sustainable consumption – Wednesday 1 June 2022 (recording): This was one of the first global city events to debate the systemic importance of consumption-based emissions and cities.
Carbon footprint misconceptions (Ipsos): The latest Perils of Perception study by Ipsos looks at how the general public in 30 markets around the world perceive environmental action; revealing many misconceptions.
Motivations for Lighter Living (OneEarth Living): a resource guide based on studies that reveal dominant motivations for “smart consumption” to help mainstream lighter living actions.

These resources can be used to learn how to shape and tailor sustainable lifestyles messages for different audiences and contexts as well as strategies for generating internal alignment and engaging the public:

Presentation: Consumption-Based Emissions Inventory

Sam — Wed, 15 Mar 2023 17:24:02 +0000

Cora Hallsworth presented on Consumption-Based Emissions Inventories to the Climate Caucus. Participants learned how to deepen action on climate change by building your community’s understanding of the ‘consumption-based’ impacts of our communities.

Human-induced climate change, as with much of our impact on natural systems, like biodiversity loss and pollution, is driven by unsustainable levels of consumption. Yet, typical municipal greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions inventories and plans do not include the impacts of all consumption that is occurring within the boundaries of a community. They miss the impact of all the products and materials we import into our communities. The Consumption-based Emissions Inventory (CBEI) helps shine a light on all the consumption-related GHG emissions caused by a population regardless of where they occur worldwide.

Some resources from the call:

The Centre for Ecocities webinars on using the Tool, and engaging stakeholders.
The Centre for Ecocities Tool for creating CBEIs and ecological footprints.
Motivations work (how to engage people in sustainable lifestyles by targeting their unique motivations – eg health, frugality, etc).
Communications/visioning to engage people in sustainable lifestyles.
Good life contest (now closed but will be pleased to share results when they come in).
Cora’s slides from the call.

Watch the recording here

Greater Victoria 2030 District wins Climate & Energy Action Award

Sam — Thu, 15 Sep 2022 21:29:34 +0000

The District of Saanich and the City of Victoria have been recognized for their role in creating the Greater Victoria 2030 District by the Community Energy Association. They received the 2022 Climate & Energy Action Award in the Community Planning & Development category at the Union of BC Municipalities (UBCM) Convention in Whistler on September 15, 2022.

Read the press release here.

Global News

site-admin — Fri, 16 Jul 2021 19:47:00 +0000

Ryan Mackie Speaks to Global News About What Canadian Cities Can do to Prepare for Future Extreme Weather Events

To shed some light on the recent heat dome that caused dangerous record-breaking temperatures in the Pacific Northwest, Global News reached out to our very own Ryan Mackie to ask an important question: “How will Canada prepare for more heat waves and other extreme weather events?”