Toronto reports massive pandemic-induced drop in GHG emissions in 2020
Community-wide greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in Toronto in 2020 were 43 percent lower than in 1990, the city announced on December 21.
All it took was a global pandemic to spark the change.
Data from the city’s 2020 sector-based GHG emissions inventory tracks Toronto’s progress towards its reduction targets and identifies direct and indirect GHG emissions from three key sectors: buildings, transportation and waste.
Highlights from the report show that Toronto’s community-wide GHG emissions were 14 megatonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent. That figure is below the city’s target of a 30 percent reduction in 1990 GHG emissions by 2020.
“The city, its residents, businesses and community partners have made great strides to fight climate change at a local level – and we still have much work to do,” said Mayor John Tory. “Council set an ambitious target to reduce emissions to net zero by 2040 and with this announcement, we’re on the right track. Tackling this crisis requires ongoing community-wide action, and commitment and investment by all levels of government, and we are committed to working with our partners at every level to make that happen.”
Of course, the COVID-19 pandemic influenced those outcomes significantly, the city says.
Decreased transportation activities were the main contributor to the emissions reduction in Toronto as many residents were required to either work or learn from home in response to COVID-19 restrictions. Toronto’s transportation sector saw the most dramatic emissions decrease: almost one-fifth lower than in 2019.
Buildings continued to be the primary source of GHG emissions in Toronto, totaling 58 percent of community-wide emissions, an increase of two percent over 2019. Natural gas, used primarily for space and water heating, was the largest source of building sector emissions, accounting for 54 percent of all community-wide emissions.
Transportation was the second largest source of the city’s GHG emissions, totaling 33 percent of community-wide emissions, a decrease of two percent over 2019. Gasoline used in passenger cars and trucks was the primary source of these emissions, which accounted for 25 percent of all community-wide emissions.
Global GHG emissions plunged by roughly 2.4 billion tonnes in 2020, a seven percent drop from 2019 and the largest decline on record, triggered by worldwide COVID-19 restrictions.
In Toronto, this translated to an 11 percent community-wide GHG emissions reduction from 2019 levels. As the recovery from COVID-19 continues, emissions levels in Toronto are expected to approach pre-pandemic levels, erasing some of the gains made in 2020.
Toronto’s target to reduce community-wide emissions to net zero by 2040 is one of the most ambitious in North America.
The city’s interim GHG reduction targets are 45 percent by 2025 and 65 percent by 2030, based on 1990 levels.
The city says further community-wide climate action is needed for Toronto to reach its 2025 target of a 45-percent emissions reduction, based on 1990 levels, as emissions are expected to approach pre-pandemic levels as the COVID-19 recovery continues. Community-wide emissions must be cut in half over the next seven years to achieve the trajectory needed to reach net zero by 2040.
“We must continue to work together – residents, businesses and all levels of government – to address the climate emergency,” said Deputy Mayor Jennifer McKelvie. “Rapidly transforming our homes, buildings and vehicles will require the support of everyone.”