Vancouver launches climate pledge program

VANCOUVER – Businesses in Vancouver are taking aim at climate change.

Mayor Gregor Robertson has finished his visit to New York for Climate Week NYC by launching the Vancouver Climate Pledge.

The pledge enlists West Coast companies to support climate-change action globally and to move toward 100-per-cent renewable energy locally.

Ten businesses have signed on thus far, including Telus, Mountain Equipment Co-op, Hootsuite and the Vancouver Aquarium.

There are three steps to the pledge: calling for stronger climate action from national governments, supporting Vancouver’s move to 100-per-cent renewable energy and disclosing a business’s own carbon-reduction or renewable-energy targets.

Robertson says the program is one of many to be announced in the lead up to this December’s international climate summit in Paris.