Climate Economy Strategic Council

Climate action, one of the greatest challenges of our time, is not just an environmental or social issue – it is a critical economic issue.

The Council

The purpose of the Climate Economy Strategic Council is to solve for the cleantech adoption necessary for the Toronto Region to lead in the climate economy and reach net zero by 2050.

To reach its net-zero climate goals, we will need to transform, retrofit, and innovate across its existing high-emitting sectors – like transportation, which accounts for 35 percent of the Region’s emissions.

The Board recognizes that leading the global climate transition will be an unparalleled opportunity for our members and the competitiveness of our regional economy. In order to seize market share, we need to be able to successfully deploy at home. It’s time to take action and work towards net-zero solutions. 

Objectives

The Council’s objectives over the next two years include: 

• Positioning our climate innovators and regional economy as a global leader in climate transition
• Identifying and advocating for policies that encourage clean tech adoption at scale
• Developing a roadmap to drive innovation adoption and address barriers to clean tech commercialization and growth 
• Monitoring and tapping into financial structures that advance the climate economy 
• Demonstrating the potential of collaboration between innovators and industry leaders to catalyze Canada’s climate economy 

The GTHA was responsible for 47.8 million tonnes of carbon emissions in 2020, equal to 44 per cent of carbon emissions in Ontario. The Council recognizes that solutions created by the Region are best positioned to be adopted in the Region. Transition to net zero will touch every aspect of our lives and have far-reaching impacts on industry and our economy.