Recent years have given rise to several commitments to decarbonize Montreal and enable its communities to adapt to the growing impacts of climate change. With this in mind, the Montreal Climate Summit has become a real catalyst for ambitious climate actions. This is an opportunity for leaders of the Montreal community to make commitments, implement them and thus contribute concretely to achieving the city’s decarbonization objectives.
Among the initiatives, we can mention the collaboration between Hydro-Québec and the City of Montreal to find and implement solutions in energy efficiency and peak demand management; the decarbonization target for Ivanhoé Cambridge buildings; the Montreal University Hospital Center’s strategy to reduce GHG emissions by 55% by 2030; or the leadership of the Regional Public Health Directorate to mobilize other institutions.
All these commitments are part of a broader international trend. Indeed, the share of large companies listed on the stock exchange with net zero emissions objectives has more than doubled in just over two years — going from 417 to 929 — according to the June 2023 Net Zero Tracker report.
But new commitments to decarbonization and adaptation are necessary and urgent, at all scales, in the short, medium and long term. These must lead to results more quickly, and be accompanied by concrete, quantified and planned actions, in addition to being subject to rigorous monitoring that respects the highest standards of environmental integrity.
Obviously, implementation has its share of challenges and obstacles. As proof, the robustness of net zero emissions objectives and strategies at the scale of governments or organizations has progressed very little since 2020, when the Net Zero Tracker was launched. Worse: a significant share of subnational and commercial entities around the world and within the G7 still have no emissions reduction targets.
The good news is that there are several tools available to organizations to support them in implementing their commitments. There is clear consensus on what is needed for net zero targets to be considered robust. In this regard, the report of the High-Level Panel on Non-State Commitments towards Net Zero Emissions, which I chair, mandated by the Secretary-General of the United Nations can be used as a “North Star” when developing and implementing net zero commitments.
“To equip organizations” is also the mission that the Montreal 2024 Climate Summit has set itself, the 3 of which we will launche edition, which will take place on May 7 and 8.
This year’s program was designed following a consultation with businesses, public services and NPOs in the city. Building on the commitments made during the first two editions, the event therefore focuses on networking and mutual aid between organizations in order to eliminate obstacles to climate action, to offer concrete tools and to show good practices to participants to accelerate the implementation of climate action in the metropolis.
We therefore invite leaders from the business, philanthropic, political, institutional, union, community and environmental sectors, as well as students and citizens from all walks of life, to join us next May.
It is thanks to the strength of the collective, the pooling of efforts and collaboration that the implementation of ambitious commitments can accelerate. For the good of the environment, the economy, but also, and above all, our communities.