Councillor James Gordon’s efforts to move up the city’s net zero carbon goal fell short Monday night.
At a meeting of Guelph City Council, Gordon moved to reconsider a 2018 council decision that set Guelph’s net zero carbon target date at 2050 and move it up to 2035.
Gordon’s motion, which needed a super majority of nine votes to succeed, failed by a 7-6 vote (For: Phil Allt, Bob Bell, Rodrigo Goller, James Gordon, Leanne Piper, Mike Salisbury; Against: Christine Billings, Cathy Downer, Dan Gibson, Cam Guthrie, June Hofland, Mark MacKinnon, Dominique O’Rourke).
Later in Monday’s meeting, coun.. Leanne Piper was expected to introduce her motion to have Guelph officially declare a “climate emergency.”
“Leaders listen to the public will and respond when we know there is a critical issue at hand,” Gordon said prior to the vote on his motion Monday.
“We owe it to the next generation to use every tool in our tool box to look for ways to give them the future they are in danger of losing.”
He said that he has been accused of “furthering my personal agenda,” and that given his agenda is to help save the planet for future generations, “then yes, guilty as charged.”
“There are no climate deniers here, so what’s the downside to moving forward with every ace in our deck?” Gordon said.
Given that his motion of reconsideration failed, there was no debate on the motion.
