2015 hottest year on record: Mayor Gregor says climate change cannot be ignored

In reaction to NASA’s announcement that 2015 was Earth’s hottest year on record, Vancouver mayor Gregor Robertson released a statement Wednesday that “climate change cannot be ignored.”

Robertson called on all levels of government to act urgently to dramatically reduce fossil fuel pollution and protect our environment and economy.

 The National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration and NASA announced Wednesday that 2015 was by far the hottest year in 136 years of record keeping.

Last year’s average temperature was 14.79 degrees Celsius (58.62 F), passing 2014 by a record margin of 0.17 C (0.29 F).

It was the fourth time in 11 years that Earth broke the record for average high temperature.

“In today’s connected world, the increasing severity of droughts, storms, sea level rise and heat waves puts all of us at risk,” Robertson wrote.  “In Vancouver, 2015’s weather was another wake-up call. Extended water restrictions and air quality warnings from forest fires were just two examples of the future we face with a changing climate.”

Robertson says Vancouver has made reducing climate pollution a major priority and claims city hall has cut emissions to the lowest per person in North America.

“Vancouver is the first major city in Canada to have a climate change adaptation strategy, and our plan to shift to 100 per cent renewable energy by 2050 or sooner sends a clear market signal that we are eliminating fossil fuel pollution and investing in green jobs,” he wrote.

B.C.’s regional average temperature variations for 2015 

 A list of some of B.C. regional average temperature variations for 2015, as measured against the historic average:

• Pacific Coast: plus 2.0 degrees C (warmest ever)
• B.C.  southern interior: plus 1.9 degrees C (warmest ever)
• Northern B.C. and Yukon: plus 2.9 degrees C (warmest ever)

Source: Environment Canada

sbrown@postmedia.com