STEPUP! to Net Zero Footprint Buildings for Climate Action
RSI is on a mission to accelerate the adoption of proven climate change mitigation technologies and energy conservation projects in the commercial buildings sector that are currently only taken up in limited numbers.
The RSI, STEPUP! The Net Zero Footprint Climate Action initiative is structured collaboratively to determine the best, mutually beneficial manner to work towards removing existing barriers to the adoption of energy efficiency measures in commercial buildings and thereby make a meaningful impact towards climate change mitigation in Canada.
To mobilize this mission, we are inviting business and community leaders, experts and organizations who are concerned about impacts of climate change to join this group of action partners to contribute together to the discovery and creation of systemic solutions.
Why Are We Doing This?
Because impacts of climate change are undeniable and action needs to occur immediately. Proven climate change mitigation technologies exist and barriers to adoption need to be removed.
Climate change, driven largely by fossil fuel greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, has been studied, debated, undermined, lobbied against by powerful interests over the past 30+ years, and yet persists and now demonstrates the potential – and incontrovertible evidence – of negatively impacting our environment and society without urgent action. In 2018, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change said we have less than a decade to cut emissions by 50% if we are to remain within the target of 1.5° C of global warming.
Despite the confluence of these two developments and their mutually reinforcing nature, energy conservation and fuel-switching retrofits remain fringe strategies in existing commercial buildings and new builds. With perhaps the exception of LED lighting, window glazing and building automation few building owners invest in retrofits or choose to space heat with other than natural gas simply because the paybacks are too long. Yet as recently reported by the new Institute for Sustainable Finance at Queen’s University the building sector, representing 11% of emissions, is “Canada’s lowest-hanging fruit when it comes to low-cost GHG reductions…the only sector where, in certain scenarios, reducing carbon emissions is less expensive than maintaining them”.
Join our action group
Make a Difference in supporting the people of Canada in meeting the goals of the Paris Accord
To further enhance usability and meet the unique needs of different communities, our Step Up to Net Zero Footprint Climate Action initiative supports aligns four global UN 2030 Sustainable Development Goals in a local context.
- Goal 9 – INDUSTRY, INNOVATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE. Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation
- Goal 11 – SUSTAINABLE CITIES AND COMMUNITIES. Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable.
- Goal 13 – CLIMATE ACTION. Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts.
- Goal 17 – PARTNERSHIPS FOR THE GOALS. Enhancing the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development
If you are interested in better understanding this need and how to get involved, please STEPUP! with us today, Signup to subscribe to our Net Zero Footprint Climate Action updates.
To schedule a call with one of the STEPUP! leaders, please contact:
Yatsa Smajovic: Sponsor@rethinksustainability.ca
Email: communications@rethinksustainability.ca
Telephone: 647-725-7734