Climate Change Action Program of the Association francophone des municipalités du Nouveau-Brunswick under the PCP

Faced with threats and challenges caused by climate change, some twenty municipalities of the Association francophone des municipalités du Nouveau-Brunswick (AFMNB) will conduct inventories of their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions as well as local community and corporate action plans that will help them reduce their GHG emissions and complete the first three steps of the FCM's Partners for Climate Protection (PCP) program. The AFMNB will provide support to communities to prepare these plans, which will be developed in partnership with the Université de Moncton. The development of local action plans tailored to each municipality will include a survey of stakeholders, partners and the public to guide the plan toward measures supported by the municipality and the community. The target of GHG emission reduction will be determined based on feasible financial and economic efforts and environmental and economic gains. Municipalities will refer to the Kyoto Protocol and the recommendations and suggestions of the PCP program, adapting them to best meet their specific needs. This will give municipalities the opportunity to implement developmental projects generating significant socio-economic benefits for a total population of more than 50,000 New Brunswickers as well as enable significant reductions in energy consumption and associated costs. The potential projects include the installation of innovative, effective equipment better suited to local or regional needs in the areas of infrastructure, transportation, and waste management, as well as local production of renewable energy, distributed or sold locally (geoexchange, solar thermal, photovoltaic, etc.). An implementation and monitoring protocol will be developed for each project identified in order to well prepare the implementation of steps 4 and 5 of the PCP program. Through this initiative, the Association and its members will gain knowledge and local expertise to meet the climatic environmental challenges that affect New Brunswick territories. Finally, the AFMNB will hold two conferences, one in 2014 and another in 2015, which will be excellent opportunities to disseminate information, consult municipal officials, and review the progress and results of initiatives in order to encourage other municipalities to participate in the PCP program. (Project description from original funding application)