Climate Change: Burnaby becomes the latest city that endorses a transition from fossil fuels to climate change

Article content

Burnaby has signed on to a new global treaty, which recognizes the urgency of the climate crisis and calls for a complete transition away fossil fuels.

Article content

Thursday’s unanimous vote by the City Council to endorse the initiative was unanimous. Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation TreatyThe, which calls upon governments and corporations to accelerate the transition to clean energy.

Mayor Mike Hurley stated that the move builds upon the climate emergency declaration made by the city in 2019. Burnaby is also committed to a transformative plan for drastically reducing carbon emissions.

“But to avoid the worst effects of climate change, it is clear that the global community must support a rapid and just transition away from fossil fuels. That’s why the City of Burnaby is proud to endorse the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty,” he said, in a statement.

Coun. Joe Keithley proposed a motion to endorse this treaty at a regular council meeting, Jan. 24,

Article content

Fossil Fuels Non-Proliferation Treaty is designed to stop the proliferation of oil, coal, and gas by halting all new exploration and production and phasing down existing production to limit global temperature rise of 1.5 C., the city stated in a Thursday news release.

“Thank you to the Burnaby residents and local activists who continue to advocate for our leaders to take decisive action to transition away from harmful fossil fuels,” said Keithley, in a statement.

“We’re proud to be adding our voices to the international ground swell of support for a Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty.”

Burnaby is the fifth B.C. The treaty is being endorsed by all five municipalities, including New Westminster, Vancouver, District of North Vancouver, and District of West Vancouver.

Article content

The agreement has been signed by over 1,000 organizations and businesses as well as more than 150,000 individuals. Barcelona was the first European city to sign the treaty last year. More than 2,000 academics and scientists signed a letter urging all governments to support it.

As of Friday 32 major urban centresThe treaty has been endorsed around the globe by cities like Toronto, Los Angeles or Sydney, Australia.

The treaty This was launched in B.C. In 2020, aims follow in the footsteps Nuclear Non-Proliferation TreatyBy treating fossil fuels as nuclear weapons and calling for a global effort to transition to clean energy.

[email protected]

You get more news, less ads, and faster loading time.Unlimited, ad-lite, unlimited access to the Vancouver Sun and the Province National Post, as well as 13 other Canadian news sites, for only $14/month or $140/year Sign up now by clicking the Vancouver SunOr The Province.