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McMaster Centre for Climate Change hosts President and CEO of World Wildlife Fund

23/10/2017, 3:22 pm - TO 23/10/2017 - 3:22 pm

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What does David Miller, the former Mayor of Toronto, want you to know about climate change?

Miller, now the President and CEO of World Wildlife Fund, was recently at McMaster Innovation Park to talk about how the programs and policies led by cities around the world show the path forward to mitigate the effects of Climate Change.

Over 200 people attended the talk where Miller highlighted that if climate change is addressed, better designed and more livable cities will be created.

“70 per cent of emissions can be traced back to urban environments,” said Miller. “The main sectors being electricity and heat production, transportation, and industries.”

During his talk, which was hosted by the McMaster Centre for Climate Change, Miller cited examples of how cities can work together to exchange knowledge and ideas about how to create healthier environments. He pointed out that two projects developed in Toronto – one involving green roofs, the other replacing incandescent lights with LED lights – were the inspiration for even larger projects that have since been adopted in Chicago and Los Angeles, respectively.

Miller says that through action and decisions that build strong communities, the goals of the Paris Agreement can be reached.

The Paris Agreement was enacted in December 2015 in Paris by 195 nations to combat climate change and unleash actions and investment towards a low carbon, resilient and sustainable future.

“If we invest into climate change and the environment, we will then be able to live in the same Canada that I remember as a child: A Canada with an extensive wilderness where we can drink water out of the streams.”

Maureen McDonald, McMaster’s Dean of Science, delivered opening remarks, welcoming Miller and reinforcing the university’s commitment to supporting research on climate change.

“Over the past many years McMaster University – and the McMaster Centre for Climate Centre in particular – have been actively engaged in education, research and public outreach activities related to environment and climate change,” says McDonald.

“We are eager to work with government, industry and civil society to effectively identify and respond to the challenges posed by a changing environment and the impacts it may have on people, wildlife, ecosystems, economy and society in general.”