Unions of Nova Scotia Municipalities

Resources

UNSM'S MUNICIPAL CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION PLAN GUIDE IS NOW AVAILABLE ONLINE

Drawing upon best practices from existing local and national resources, UNSM developed a Nova Scotia-specific guide for producing a climate change mitigation plan to help municipalities identify and implement strategic measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from their daily operations.  By setting out a framework to direct municipalities through the steps of developing a mitigation plan, this guide focuses on opportunities to reduce municipal energy use that will lead to a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions and ultimately reduce operational costs. 

The guide is modular in nature and can be used to meet the minimum requirements under the Gas Tax Funding Agreement or to develop a comprehensive mitigation plan.  UNSM recognizes that there are a variety of approaches each municipality can take to address climate change.  This guide will provide the information and direction required to successfully tailor individual approaches, given the unique circumstances of each municipality. 

For a copy of UNSM’s Municipal Climate Change Mitigation Plan Guide, please visit the Municipal Sustainability Office’s website at:  http://www.sustainability-unsm.ca/our-work.html.

NEW REPORT CONCLUDES NO DIRECT HEALTH RISKS FROM WIND TURBINE SOUND

An expert report has concluded there is no direct health risk from wind turbine sound at Ontario's regulated setback distance.   The study analyzed the latest findings on low frequency noise and infrasound from wind turbines.  In addition, three experts in the field of noise, vibration and acoustics reviewed and validated the report. 

The report found that the province's rules to control wind turbine sound are rigorous. Ontario has one of the strictest noise limits in North America, which includes a 550 metre minimum setback, based on a 40 decibel limit. These requirements align with the limits set by the World Health Organization.   To learn more about this report, visit:  http://news.ontario.ca/ene/en/2011/12/expert-report-confirms-no-direct-health-effects-from-wind-turbines.html.

SPECIAL REPORT ON  MANAGING THE RISKS OF EXTREME EVENTS AND DISASTERS TO ADVANCE CLIMATE CHANGE ADAPTATION

The character and severity of impacts from climate extremes depend not only on the extremes themselves but also on exposure and vulnerability. In this report prepared by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, adverse impacts are considered disasters when they produce widespread damage and cause severe alterations in the normal functioning of communities or societies.

This report integrates perspectives from several historically distinct research communities studying climate science, climate impacts, adaptation to climate change, and disaster risk management. Each community brings different viewpoints, vocabularies, approaches, and goals, and all provide important insights into the status of the knowledge base and its gaps. Many of the key assessment findings come from the interfaces among these communities.

A summary of the report is available at www.srex.org and www.ipcc.ch.
 

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