The capital city is looking to make a dent in the greenhouse gas emissions it produces.

St. John’s City Council voted unanimously to adopt the City’s Corporate Climate Plan.

The plan aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 40 percent by 2030 with a stretch target of 50 percent by 2030 from 2018 emissions.

The city hopes to be net-zero by 2050. The plan includes a framework to reduce GHG by 4.2 percent annually, meaning net-zero could be achieved as early as 2045.

Councillor Ian Froude says the city has an important role to play.

Froude says we may feel like a small city in the grand scheme of things but it’s the aggregate of action that will actually create the change that’s needed to combat the climate crisis.

The plan identifies strategies and tasks for the short (1-2 years), medium (3-5 years) and long term to be integrated into city operations.

Examples of those strategies include adopting renewable energy systems and electrification, a corporate green standard for new buildings, energy efficiency, reducing corporate waste, and a corporate carbon budget to support decision making