Prince George is setting some  targets for greenhouse gas emissions as it moves forward with  the Partners in Climate Protection Plan.

The   City has now reached the third in five milestones as identified in the Partners in Clinate Protection Plan.  The first two  (creating a greenhouse  gas emissions inventory and forecast,  and setting a reduction target)  were ready, but the reduction targets were on hold until this third milestone,  the development of a local action plan, had been completed.  The target reductions would see greenhouse gas emissions reduced by the City  by 10% by 2012.  The reductions are based on  levels recorded in 2002.  There is a 2%  reduction target for the community at large.

The next step will be the implementation of the action plan , and the final step will  be to measure the progress and report the results.

While  the  City’s Environmental Manager, Mark Fercho says  departments have  already  included  initiatives in the budgets for this year so there is no extra cost o for 2007, Council needed to be aware there will be  costs associated with  implementing the plan in the 5 years left on the  emission reduction timeline. 

According to Fercho,  the costs will  total  at least $825 thousand dollars as there are some  initiatives where the costs have yet to be determined., but Fercho says the benefits outweigh the expense.   The benefits include improved air quality,  increased lifespan of the infrastructure,  reduced costs to the City  for  electricity , natural gas and fuel consumption.

The plan  outlines 20 initiatives  designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions: