Cities and Climate Change: What Local Governments Can Do
Climate change is global — but in practice, its emissions sources, infrastructure risks, and human harms are concentrated in cities. This page explains municipal climate action: what city governments can do to reduce emissions (mitigation) and reduce harm (adaptation), with Metro Vancouver and Lower Mainland examples.
1. How We Build
Buildings are a top emissions lever — and a major adaptation lever for indoor safety.
- Zero Carbon Step Code: avoid fossil fuel lock-in in new buildings
- Heat pumps: efficient heating + cooling for heat waves
2. How We Move
Transportation is often the largest emissions source — shaped by land use and street design.
- Complete neighbourhoods: homes near jobs, schools, services
- Transit + active transport: safe, reliable alternatives to driving
3. Resilience
Adaptation reduces harms from heat, smoke, storms, and flooding that are already happening.
- Urban forest: shade + cooling to reduce heat island impacts
- Stormwater: absorb and slow runoff to reduce flooding
According to the Building a Legacy of Local Climate Action report from the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, municipalities influence a large share of emissions through policy choices that shape buildings, transportation, land use, and waste systems.
Most climate damage costs hit cities: The highest costs tend to concentrate where people, buildings, roads, and economic activity are densest.
Canada’s global emissions position
By total GHG emissions, Canada ranked 11th globally in 2022 (Environment and Climate Change Canada).
By per-capita GHG emissions, one Canadian government briefing (citing Our World in Data) described Canada as 11th per-capita in 2023, and 10th for absolute emissions (source).
Canada’s own indicator also notes Canada has very high per-capita emissions compared with other major emitters (for example, second-highest among the top 10 total emitters in 2022).
What’s not captured in “territorial” stats: Production-based numbers don’t include consumption-based (“imported”) emissions embedded in goods made elsewhere and used here — which can be substantial. Metro Vancouver has published a regional consumption-based emissions inventory to make this visible.
Bottom line: City decisions matter because cities are where climate risk is experienced most directly, and where local rules shape the biggest day-to-day emissions sources.
On this page (municipal climate action)
- Municipal climate action levers
- What do mitigation and adaptation mean?
- Effective climate action at the city level
- Relative impact of municipal climate action levers
- Corporate vs community emissions explained
- Municipal climate plans: effective policy
- Lower Mainland climate milestones (2015–present)
- FAQ
- Key sources
Municipal climate action levers
How we build, how we move, and how we grow are the biggest ways city governments can cut emissions and reduce climate harms.
Even though municipalities don’t control everything (like oil and gas extraction, most electricity generation, or vehicle tailpipe standards), cities have powerful tools that shape day-to-day emissions and risk—especially through:
- Building emissions (what new buildings are allowed to burn, and how efficient they must be)
- Embodied carbon (how much carbon is “built into” materials like concrete and steel through land-use choices, zoning, and building forms)
- Transportation demand (whether people need to drive for work, school, and errands)
- Urban heat and flooding risk (urban forest, shade, stormwater and watershed protection, permeable surfaces, and siting rules)
In Metro Vancouver, transportation is the largest source of regional emissions and buildings are second—which is why municipal policy is so central to climate action (Climate 2050 transportation roadmap).
For sector breakdowns and regional context, Metro Vancouver’s Climate 2050 hub is a strong starting point.
What do climate mitigation and climate adaptation mean for municipal climate action?
Mitigation means reducing emissions (so future warming is lower).
Adaptation means reducing harms and costs from impacts that are already happening (heat, flooding, smoke, storm surge, and infrastructure failures).
Examples in B.C. that cities have had to respond to:
Extreme heat: The BC Coroners Service review of the June 25–July 1, 2021 extreme heat event reports 14 heat-related deaths in Coquitlam, with many deaths linked to indoor overheating risk.
Flooding and atmospheric rivers: Atmospheric river events have caused deaths and major damage across the region, including the flooding in Sumas. Coquitlam has also seen fatalities during high river conditions (example reporting: North Shore News).
Coastal risk and king tides: Port Moody’s shoreline infrastructure has repeatedly faced king tide / storm surge impacts and has required major boardwalk replacement work (example coverage).
Effective municipal climate action at the city level
Building efficiency and zero-emissions buildings
Buildings are often the strongest municipal lever because cities can regulate performance at the moment a building is designed, permitted, and built—and buildings last for decades.
Just as importantly: buildings are one of the two main sources of emissions in cities (alongside transportation). In Metro Vancouver, buildings are the second-largest regional source and are roughly one quarter of total regional emissions (Climate 2050 buildings roadmap).
What cities can do (high impact):
- Require zero-emissions mechanical systems in new buildings through the Zero Carbon Step Code
- Support heat pumps, which both heat and cool—cutting emissions while improving safety during heat waves
- Avoid fossil-fuel lock-in, reducing long-term volatility and retrofit costs
Energy Step Code vs Zero Carbon Step Code (plain-language distinction):
- Energy Step Code is about energy efficiency (how airtight / insulated a building is). It can be worthwhile, but higher steps can have weaker cost-benefit compared to direct emissions reductions.
- Zero Carbon Step Code targets operational emissions (what the building burns for heating and hot water). It’s often a more direct path to zero-emissions operations, especially when paired with heat pumps and clean electricity ( Zero Carbon Step Code Explainer).
Transportation emissions and trip demand
In Metro Vancouver, personal vehicles are the single largest emissions source, and transportation overall is the region’s largest category (Metro Vancouver transportation emissions trends; Climate 2050 transportation roadmap).
Cities can’t set tailpipe standards — but they strongly shape how much driving is required and whether realistic alternatives exist.
High-impact municipal climate action levers include:
- Land use: allow homes near jobs, schools, and services; legalize gentle density and mixed-use in more places –
- Transit priority: bus lanes, signal priority, station-area density, better walking access to stops
- Active transportation: safe connected walking/cycling networks that make short trips possible without a car
- Parking & curb policy: reduce/remove minimums; price curb parking; manage curb space (loading zones, drop-off, deliveries)
- Demand management: travel demand management (TDM) programs, school travel planning, and targeted pricing tools where appropriate
- Street design: safer speeds and reliability; prioritize safety and travel options, not just throughput
This is why transportation and land use are best explained together: when a city plans compact, complete neighbourhoods, it directly reduces transportation demand (source).
Materials and embodied carbon
Even if a building runs on clean electricity, there’s still “embodied carbon” in materials (cement, steel, insulation, finishes, and construction processes).
Cities can influence embodied emissions through zoning and building form (what gets built where), and through procurement standards for civic projects. Provincial step-code guidance discusses how building form and construction approaches can affect performance pathways (Step Codes guidebook).
Waste and materials
Waste is usually not the biggest emissions wedge — but it’s visible, locally actionable, and important for methane reduction.
Key terms (plain language):
- Landfill diversion: keeping materials (especially organics) out of landfill so they don’t generate methane
- Methane capture: collecting landfill gas so it doesn’t escape to the atmosphere
- Construction & demolition recycling: separating wood, metal, concrete, and drywall to avoid disposal
- Repair & reuse programs: repair cafés, tool libraries, and materials exchanges that extend product life
Metro Vancouver’s regional reporting consistently highlights transportation and buildings as the largest sectors, while waste policy plays a supporting role (Climate action progress report).
Urban forest, nature, and water systems
Urban nature is a top-tier adaptation tool that reduces heat and flooding risk while improving health and livability.
- Urban heat island reduction: shade + evapotranspiration can materially lower local peak temperatures
- Floodwater management: healthy soils, wetlands, and riparian areas absorb and slow runoff
- Health benefits: cooling, air quality support, mental health, and improved public spaces
On carbon: trees do store carbon — but the scale is usually small compared to city-wide emissions. One widely cited estimate suggests an average tree can sequester on the order of tens of kg CO₂ per year (varies a lot by species/size/location) (source), while per-capita emissions are measured in tonnes per year (ECCC).
Relative impact of municipal climate action levers
⚖️ Climate Action Impact Matrix
“Not all actions are equal. Cities should prioritize policies that deliver the highest impact for emissions (mitigation) and safety (adaptation).”
Legend
Buildings & Efficiency
Zero Carbon Step Code, heat pumps
Transport & Land Use
Transit priority, density, walking/cycling
Nature & Urban Forest
Shade, cooling, flood management
Waste & Materials
Organics diversion, landfill methane, reuse
Mitigation impact (net emissions reductions) and adaptation impact (reducing harms and costs):
| Policy area | Mitigation impact (net emissions reductions) | Adaptation impact (reducing harms and costs) |
|---|---|---|
| Building efficiency + zero-emissions buildings | High | High |
| Transportation systems + land use | High | Medium |
| Municipal operations (city facilities/fleet) | Low | Low–Medium |
| Waste + materials | Low–Medium | Low |
| Urban forest + nature + water systems | Low | High |
Why municipal operations is “Low” for mitigation: regional community emissions are measured in the tens of millions of tonnes, while corporate emissions are typically orders of magnitude smaller (Metro Vancouver emissions inventories).
Corporate vs community emissions explained in the context of municipal climate action
🏙️ The Scope of Action
Why cities must regulate, not just operate.
Corporate emissions
City operations
(fleet, buildings)
Community emissions
The entire city
When cities publish emissions inventories, you’ll often see two categories:
Corporate emissions are emissions from city-run operations (facilities, fleet, streetlighting, etc.).
Community emissions include everything happening across the city (homes/buildings, transportation, businesses, waste, construction).
This distinction matters because cities can directly control corporate emissions, and they can also directly regulate some community emissions (especially buildings) and shape other community emissions (especially transportation demand) through land use and infrastructure.
Municipal climate plans: effective municipal climate action policy
Most cities now have climate plans. Here are the features that tend to make them most effective:
- Community emissions are explicitly addressed (not only corporate operations)
- Targets are IPCC-aligned and include near-term milestones (not just 2050)
- The plan commits to specific policy tools (bylaws, zoning updates, permitting standards, capital plans)
- Clear accountability: budgets, staff leads, timelines, annual reporting
- Plain language that signals commitment: require / adopt / fund / implement
Lower Mainland climate milestones (2015–present)
Lower Mainland Climate Momentum
Vancouver, Burnaby, New Westminster, Port Moody, Surrey, Township of Langley (and others)
Vancouver CEAP, Burnaby Climate Action Framework, Port Moody CAP, Surrey targets
Burnaby, Port Moody, New Westminster, North Vancouver, Richmond (plus others)
Coquitlam Climate Plan (Jan 2026), Maple Ridge CAP (2025), Township of Langley ZCSC dates (Apr 2025)
| City | IPCC-aligned targets adopted | Climate plan adopted | Climate emergency declared | Zero Carbon Step Code adopted / implemented |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vancouver | Nov 17, 2020 (targets set in Climate Emergency Action Plan) (source) | Nov 17, 2020 (Climate Emergency Action Plan) (source) | Jan 2019 (source) | Vancouver uses Vancouver-specific building policies / bylaws (not a direct ZCSC “adoption” date). |
| Burnaby | 2020 (targets incl. 60% below 2007 by 2030 and net-zero by 2050, aligned to IPCC 1.5°C) (source) | 2020 (Climate Action Framework) (source) | Sep 9, 2019 (source) | Jan 1, 2024 (ZCSC phased implementation) (source) |
| New Westminster | — | 2022 (CEEP 2050 update endorsed) (source) | 2019 (source) | Phased Step Code / ZCSC requirements (effective dates listed) (source) |
| Port Moody | — | Jul 21, 2020 (Climate Action Plan) (source) | Jun 2019 (source) | Sep 24, 2024 (Step Code / ZCSC page) (source) |
| Coquitlam | —January 2022, Environmental Sustainability Plan | Jan 12, 2026 (Climate Action Plan adopted) (source) | — | Implementation timeline pending published bylaw/report. |
| Surrey | Mar 9, 2020 (targets adopted) (source) | Jul 24, 2023 (Climate Change Action Strategy) (source) | Nov 4, 2019 (source) | Mar 7, 2025 (ZCSC applies to building permit applications submitted after this date) (source) |
| Richmond | Feb 14, 2022 (CEEP 2050 targets: 50% below 2007 by 2030; net-zero by 2050) (source) | Feb 14, 2022 (Community Energy & Emissions Plan 2050 adopted) (source) | 2020 (climate emergency declared; targets adopted) (source) | Oct 2023 (ZCSC adopted; implementation notes) (source) |
| Maple Ridge | — | Jun 2025 (Climate Action Plan endorsed) (source) | — | Jul 1, 2025 (EL-3 timelines) (source) |
| City of North Vancouver | Feb 25, 2019 (targets adopted: 50% by 2030, carbon-neutral by 2050) (source) | Jun 17, 2024 (Climate & Environment Strategy endorsed) (source) | — | Nov 1, 2023 (Part 9: Energy Step Code Step 4 + ZCSC EL-2; phased updates) (source) |
| District of North Vancouver | 2021 (targets: 45% below 2010 by 2030; zero-carbon by 2050; council direction to align with IPCC 1.5°C) (source) | — | Jul 2019 (climate & ecological emergency declared) (source) | Jul 24, 2023 (DNV adopted Step Code/ZCSC updates; effective dates by building type) (source) |
| Township of Langley | — | — | Jul 2019 (source) | Apr 1, 2025 (EL-3 for Part 9 residential; phased dates described) (source) |
| City of Langley | Targets and inventories reported via provincial program (see LGCAP report) (source) | — | Jan 2021 (declared climate emergency – reported) (source) | — |
FAQ on municipal climate action
What can cities do to fight climate change?
Cities can reduce emissions by tightening building standards, shifting new construction to clean heating (like heat pumps), planning compact complete neighbourhoods that reduce driving demand, and investing in transit and safe walking/cycling networks. They can also reduce climate harms through shade, stormwater management, and flood-risk planning.
How can cities adapt to climate change?
Adaptation focuses on reducing harm from heat, flooding, wildfire smoke, and coastal risk. Common city tools include cooling and heat preparedness, resilient building design, urban forest protection, permeable surfaces, creek and shoreline protection, and stormwater upgrades. The 2021 extreme heat event in B.C. showed why indoor overheating risk matters.
What is an example of climate mitigation?
Requiring new buildings to use zero-emissions heating (instead of natural gas) is a clear mitigation example. In B.C., many communities use provincial frameworks like the Zero Carbon Step Code to move new construction toward near-zero operational emissions.
What is a climate mitigation plan?
A mitigation plan is a roadmap to reduce emissions over time. For cities, it usually focuses on buildings, transportation demand, land use, and waste methane. Effective plans include targets, near-term milestones, specific policy tools (bylaws, zoning, capital projects), assigned responsibility, and public reporting.
What comes first, mitigation or adaptation?
In practice, cities must do both at the same time. Mitigation slows future warming, while adaptation reduces current risks. Some policies do both — for example, building electrification plus better envelopes can reduce emissions and reduce indoor overheating risk during heat waves.
Is mitigation or adaptation better?
They solve different problems. Mitigation reduces the long-term scale of climate change. Adaptation reduces immediate harms and costs. If a city does only one, it either leaves residents exposed (no adaptation) or accepts worsening future impacts (no mitigation).
What should a municipal climate action plan include?
Most effective municipal plans include a clear emissions inventory (community vs corporate), IPCC-aligned targets with near-term milestones, specific policy tools for buildings and transportation demand, funding and staffing commitments, and annual reporting on implementation.
What makes a good climate action plan?
A good plan is implementation-ready: it names the policies that will be changed, sets deadlines, assigns responsibility, and commits resources. It also focuses on community emissions (not only city operations) and includes adaptation measures that reduce heat and flood risk.
Key sources
- Federation of Canadian Municipalities — Building a Legacy of Local Climate Action
- Metro Vancouver — Climate 2050 hub
- Metro Vancouver — Climate 2050 transportation roadmap
- Metro Vancouver — Consumption-based emissions inventory
- BC Coroners Service — Extreme heat death review panel report (2021)
- Environment and Climate Change Canada — Global greenhouse gas emissions indicator
Last updated: January 2026