Over 15,000 residents live in UBC’s campus neighbourhoods – vibrant and diverse communities, home to a growing number of families, students, faculty and staff. Through compact design and high standards for green building performance, UBC’s neighbourhoods achieve significantly lower GHG emissions than the regional averages.
In spite of local progress, global greenhouse gas emissions continue to grow and the effects of climate change are being felt by those living in UBC’s campus neighbourhoods – from extreme heat and heavy precipitation to poor air quality from wildfires. With the far-reaching global impacts and disruptions brought by climate change and the increased intensity and frequency of these climate events over the last decade, updating the climate action plan for UBC’s neighbourhoods is critical.
As the university plans for growth and with the increased intensity and frequency of local climate events brought on by the current climate crisis, NCAP identifies the additional immediate and long-term actions needed to continue progress on reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the neighbourhoods and to prepare as well as adapt for the impacts of a changing climate.
Community Emissions and Climate Projections
Emission Sources in UBC's Neighbourhoods
Greenhouse gas emissions from buildings are the largest source of community emissions, followed by emissions from resident vehicle travel and direct emissions from waste at the landfill.
Targets
NCAP has set the following community emissions targets:
- By 2030: Reduce community emissions by 30% (vs 2022 levels)
- By 2050: Reduce community emissions by 100%
How we'll get there
Without additional climate action, the associated community emissions are expected to also grow by 35% from 2022 to 2050 (as shown in the ‘business-as-usual’ in the graph below). Ambitious and rapid action across all sectors is needed to achieve net-zero emissions. NCAP defines the pathway to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050, with contributions from each sector.
Climate Projections
Climate projections for the UBC Vancouver campus and neighbourhoods show significant changes are expected and will include gradual changes to average conditions, as well as an increase in extreme weather events.
💭Where are the UBC Residential Neighbourhoods?
Neighbourhoods covered by NCAP include Hampton Place, Hawthorn Place, Wesbrook Place, Chancellor Place, East Campus, as well as the future Stadium and Acadia neighbourhoods.
Context
UBC is uniquely positioned to lead rapid climate action and model sustainable development in the university’s residential neighbourhoods and beyond by using its intellectual capacity to develop innovative approaches that address climate change through strong collaborations between academic researchers, operational staff and partnerships with government, utilities, industry and non-governmental organizations. With UBC’s Declaration on the Climate Emergency in December 2019 and subsequent update to the institutional Climate Action Plan, the university has shown both academic and operational leadership in mobilizing the community to confront the climate crisis.
📗 Context
Climate Emergency & Climate Action Planning at UBC
The Climate Emergency
Global greenhouse gas emissions continue to grow, and climate scientists agree that extreme weather will increase and intensify without the reduction of global temperatures by lowering greenhouse gas emissions. According to a report on global warming released by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the world’s average temperature should not increase by more than 1.5 degrees Celsius to avoid the most extreme impacts of climate change.
Following the release of the IPCC report, UBC continued its longstanding commitment to advance climate action when the UBC Board of Governors unanimously endorsed a Declaration on the Climate Emergency in December 2019. In addition, the Declaration commits UBC to assembling its climate emergency response in partnership with campus and community members. NCAP is the university’s response to address the climate emergency for the campus neighbourhoods; the existing Climate Action Plan 2030 provides the response for the academic campus. NCAP also helps to further advance UBC’s efforts to address the UN (SDGs) as climate action is foundational to deliver a stable and secure world for future generations.
Climate Action Planning at UBC
For more than 20 years, climate action has been a priority for UBC and the university community. Climate Action Plan 2030 is the most recent demonstration of UBC’s commitment to drastically lower its emissions, defining the pathway to net-zero for the academic campus lands.
NCAP does the same for the neighbourhoods as well as address climate resilience in the neighbourhoods, through mitigation strategies to accelerate emission reductions and adaptation strategies to prepare for the impacts of an already changing climate.
NCAP expands upon the Community Energy Emissions Plan, which was introduced in 2013 and has guided climate action and energy efficiency initiatives in UBC’s growing residential neighbourhoods.
NCAP is supported by an integrated policy and planning landscape. This includes mutually supportive and complementary plans and policies guiding sustainability and climate action, such as the UBC Green Building Action Plan, the Transportation Plan, the Integrated Rainwater Management Plan and the emerging Biodiversity Strategy. NCAP was developed with the vision and future growth defined in Campus Vision 2050. NCAP delivers on Campus Vision 2050 and Land Use Plan commitments towards climate action, and will guide amended and future Neighbourhood Plans.