In Sackville, N.B., students demanded climate change solutions, and they got what they asked for
Sackville's energy-efficient town hall facility, equipped with a geothermal heating system, natural and LED lighting system, a green roof and other state-of-the-art innovations. Photo courtesy of Town of Sackville
By Zack Metcalfe
In the spring and fall of 2019, the streets of Sackville, N.B., were inundated with hundreds of students skipping school, channelling their collective delinquency into a march and a message. Young people, ranging from elementary school to university age, were sending the message that Sackville wasn’t doing enough to address climate change. The town leaders agreed.
Sackville’s mayor at the time, John Higham, met with march organizers and, after considering their suggestions for climate action, pursued one of the more innovative ideas. That year, he established the Mayor’s Roundtable on Climate Change, a body of citizens and experts to advise the town council on all things climate and actively steer Sackville — population 5,331 — to a sustainable future.
New Brunswick reached its 2020 climate target two years early. It's now aiming for its 2030 emissions goal of 10.7 Mt CO2e.
Even before the new initiative, the town was making strides on its climate goals. A decade ago, Sackville committed to cutting greenhouse gas emissions by 10 per cent from 2011 levels by 2021. The town surpassed its target in 2018, lowering emissions in its residential, commercial and transportation sectors by an estimated 28 per cent. The province, too, has made good on its climate commitments: New Brunswick reached its 2020 target two years early, slashing emissions by 34 per cent below 2005 levels as of 2018. The province emitted 12.4 megatonnes (Mt) of CO2 equivalent (CO2e) in 2019 and is now on track to reach its 2030 goal of 10.7 Mt CO2e.
All reporting produced as part of the project is free to the public and is not behind National Observer's paywall.