I attended the Alberta Capital Airshed Alliance (ACAA) AGM this past week.
I learned that the emmissions of pollutants ( NOx, SO2, PM2.5) are roughly emmitting by these sectors in our region:
50% – transportation (cars, trucks, buses, etc.)
25% – large industrial sources (such as refineries, etc.)
25% – other sources – med and small industry, offices, malls, etc. Etc.
So, with continuing significant population growth and development in the capital region, to maintain our mostly Alberta blue skies, we must effectively manage our emissions from transportation. That requires action by a lot of people.
And, we see some of those. The UPass system must be encouraging the adoption/use of transit – a practise that we will want students to continue as they move from studying to “work” in other places. The City’s (with support from the province etc.) Development of LRT and other transit initiatives is a long-term investment in air quality. The federal governments recent announcements of car standards is yet one more action.
How can the ACAA help advance continuing progress? Or, should the ACAA focus efforts on the other 50% of emission sources?
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