City Sustainability Evaluation. Energy Sources. Term Paper

Sustainability of Vaughan
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Sustainability of Vaughan
Vaughan is a city in Ontario, Canada. In 2016, it has a population of 306,233. Vaughan is the fastest-growing municipality in Canada, with a population growth rate of 80.2%. Having doubled its population since 1991, Vaughan has become the 17th largest city in Canada. This paper provides an analysis of the sustainability of the City of Vaughan.
Energy Sources
Between 2005 and 2016, Canada made efforts towards a shift to non-hydroelectric renewables. Initially, wind, solar, and biomass accounted for 1.5% of the total electricity generation. However, renewable energy now accounts for 7.2%. At the same period, the consumption of coal decreased from 16% to 9.3%. Canada intends to eliminate the use of coal as a source of power by 2030 (Rabson, 2017). Currently, only about 20% of Canada’s electricity is derived from fossil fuels. Nuclear energy accounts for 15% of Canada’s electricity supply. Hydro has remained the largest source of energy. It is responsible for almost 60% of the Canada’s power (Rabson, 2017). Although in the last decade hydro has grown by about 7%, other renewables are increasing at a higher rate. These include solar PV and ground source heat pumps and wind energy. Figure 1 provides a better outlook of the energy sources.
The need to conserve energy has led to the creation of the Municipal Energy Plan (MEP). It is meant to improve energy efficiency, minimize energy use and mitigate the emission of greenhouse gasses. MEP seeks to foster a community culture of energy conservation. The plan also assists in planning ahead for future development including the establishment of energy generation and transmission infrastructure. The implementation of MEP in Vaughan has assisted in outlining options for clean and renewable energy generation. It also helps in addressing the local energy needs for the present and the future.
Vaughan’s MEP is based on the Community Climate Action Plan. It leverages on plans and partnerships to formulate a comprehensive approach to energy planning and conservation. Vaughan is demonstrating leadership in the use of clean energy. It will be one of the first municipalities to leverage on the Community Climate Action plan into a MEP, hence being a good example for the rest of the jurisdictions to follow.
Ecological Footprint
An ecological footprint is a measure of the amount of nature individuals have and how much they use nature. An ecological footprint is critical in enabling governments and other stakeholders to improve sustainability ad well-being of the people. Knowing how much nature an area has and the percentage used is critical in ensuring that policies are formulated to improve the well-being of all the residents. Additionally, ecological footprint facilitates the optimization of public project investments. As governments consider public project investments, they ensure that they do not have adverse effects on the environment. Lastly, ecological footprint is essential for individuals to understand their impact on the planet. Here, citizens discover how their activities impact the environment where they live and to extend the entire globe. This ensures tha...