The Climate Resilient Kelowna Strategy (CRKS) is the City of Kelowna's community climate action plan that takes a low-emission resilience approach to climate change. The Climate Resilient Kelowna Tracker helps show how the City is progressing on implementing the CRKS.
To navigate the Tracker, scroll down to see the main elements of the CRKS (called Key Drivers) or jump straight into the CRKS actions or indicators at the top of the page to see how we are progressing on implementation.
Community GHG emissions have fluctuated over time due to a variety of factors including weather, fuel prices and population growth. For the year 2022, absolute GHG emissions rose 4.4 per cent compared to 2007. While absolute GHG emissions reduction is key, it is noted that progress is being made on a per capita basis (declining 22 per cent since 2007).
The 10 areas where the biggest impact can be made to help transition to a low-emission, resilient community.
Cutting down vehicle use by shortening trip distances and shifting to active modes (walking, rolling, cycling) and public transit are key strategies for achieving Kelowna’s climate goals, while also lowering transportation costs for residents and businesses, and improving health and quality of life.
It is clear that personal vehicles will continue to be the dominant way to move around for the foreseeable future. This means that reducing emissions through low-carbon fuel technologies, electric vehicles, hydrogen fuel-cells, and renewable fuels will be a vital component of this strategy.
The transition to efficient, low carbon buildings in Kelowna is not only about reducing GHG emissions but also about increasing the city’s resilience against extreme weather and natural disasters.
As low-emission technologies evolve and are adopted into the mainstream, it is important that local governments continue supporting utility-scale renewable energy generation that helps to achieve our collective climate goals.
As we continue to grow, climate needs to be considered in all land use decisions, from both a GHG emissions perspective as well as ensuring resiliency to future climate impacts.
As Kelowna continues to grow and becomes more densely populated, the cooling benefits of urban trees, as well as parks and urban greenspaces will be amplified.
Reducing emissions from waste comes from two primary actions: reducing the total volume of waste being produced, and by changing how the remaining waste is managed.
Resilient infrastructure is about more than just durability; it’s about adaptability and the capacity to maintain critical functions in the face of various challenges.
Emergency planning is not just about responding to immediate threats; it’s also about preparedness, recovery, and rebuilding in the aftermath of those events. Communities that are better prepared tend to recover more quickly, reducing the long-term social and economic impacts of emergencies.
Reducing GHG emissions from municipal buildings, operations, and vehicles is a central part of the City’s leadership on climate action.