The report, produced by the Carbon Solidarity Cooperative (Coop Carbone), whose mission is to act in the face of the climate emergency by supporting the implementation of collaborative projects
estimates that the construction of the hospital in the Hautes-Plaines sector, a location considered by the Quebec government, would generate at least 18.2% more greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions than a site more central.
This difference is mainly explained by the fact that a central site would allow a greater number of trips by sustainable transport, by carpooling, by bus, by bicycle or on foot, for distances of less than 15 km. on in the report, adding, moreover, that a vast majority of people (57%) live more than 15 km from the Hautes-Plaines site, while the reverse is true (45%) for a central site
.
One more argument for member organizations of the CCHADO who have been campaigning for several months for the future hospital to be installed in downtown Gatineau.
For nearly six months, the CCHADO stresses that the choice of an outlying site for the future HOT would necessarily promote urban sprawl and increased dependence on solo driving. Today, we have proof that a central site would be more consistent with our collective objectives of reducing carbon emissions. GHG
says Patrick Robert Meunier, CEO of MOBI-O and spokesperson for the CCHADOby press release.
” Cities must be designed to limit car travel volumes and increase accessibility to sustainable modes of transport. »
La Coop Carbone states that it has calculated the emissions of GHG that could be generated by an installation in the Hautes-Plaines sector with a conservative approach
considering only the travel of employees and visitors.
An underestimated environmental impact, according to the Coalition
The report states in its conclusion that the lack of data specific to this project significantly limited the scope of the analysis
. But according to the CCHADOthe figure of 18.2% constitutes a floor
.
If data were available to consider other parameters and to allow an even more accurate view of mode shares for both sites, the discrepancy would likely be even greater.
estimates the Coalition, in its press release, recalling that parameters, such as the residential and commercial development that the hospital would generate on the neighboring land, as well as the measures necessary to reduce the risk of landslides have not been considered.
These events would have significant consequences on the destruction of natural environments and emissions of GHG compared to redevelopment in an already urbanized environment
we write.
New HOT that will be implemented in the Outaouais is a good example of land development projects that have a major impact on emissions of GHG travel-related
writes Pascal Pepin, lead writer of the report and consultant in managing GHG at Coop Carbone.
The CCHADO recalls that the most recent report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) indicates that climate change is happening faster than expected and that its consequences are more serious. To meet this challenge, better land use planning and sustainable mobility have been identified as key solutions.
Hurry up!
points out Kethlande Pierre, vice-president of the Black Community Council of Gatineau (CCNG) and spokesperson for the CCHADO. The location chosen must be consistent with the City of Gatineau’s climate plan, which aims for a 35% reduction for GHG by 2030. […] The choice of an accessible and sustainable location for a major public infrastructure like the future HOT de l’Outaouais, it’s a concrete way to move towards the much-desired carbon neutrality
she concludes.
Reference-ici.radio-canada.ca