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N-ZAP

Net-Zero Action Research Partnership

Net-Zero Action Research Partnership

The Municipal Net-Zero Action Research Partnership (N-ZAP) is a collaboration between three project leads: the University of Waterloo, ICLEI Canada, and the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM)’s Green Municipal Fund (GMF) as well as 11 external academic partners, 8 national organizations, and over 13 municipal partners. Over 4 years, we will be collaborating across 5 working groups towards our main goal of supporting Canadian municipalities to monitor, measure, and achieve their greenhouse gas (GHG) mitigation goals.

Get Involved With N-ZAP: Become a Pilot City

N-ZAP is recruiting 250 Canadian municipalities to participate as pilot cities or case study subjects. Interested? Get your city involved with N-ZAP as we study and create improved methods for how local governments monitor, measure, and reduce local GHG emissions. We are currently recruiting Canadian municipalities to participate as pilot cities or case study subjects and:

  • Contribute to the climate conversation at a national level and advance local GHG reduction efforts
  • Showcase their work and efforts of its climate policy in a publicly accessible database
  • Gain access to cutting-edge resources on climate budgeting, measurement and collaborative governance  as they become available

Complete the N-ZAP Pilot City Interest Form to express interest in becoming a pilot city and stay in touch.

About N-ZAP

N-ZAP was established to support Canadian municipalities in monitoring, measuring, and achieving their GHG mitigation goals. N-ZAP is a partnership between the University of Waterloo, ICLEI Canada, FCM’s GMF, 11 other Canadian universities, nine other national organizations, and 13 municipal governments across Canada. The full list of N-ZAP partners is available on the project partners page on the University of Waterloo’s N-ZAP website. 

This research partnership was formed to study and improve systems for measuring, analyzing, and monitoring corporate and community GHG emissions to enable the enhanced quantification of GHG emissions and new methods of identifying mitigation opportunities and evaluating their effectiveness. The research partnership also aims to ensure that all emissions reduction projects, policies, and programs are aligned with Canada’s national reduction commitments. 

Working Groups

N-ZAP is composed of five working groups, bringing together academics, municipal practitioners, and members from diverse organizations. In addition to collaborating with each other, these working groups have distinct objectives and focus areas.

Working Group 1

Determine the current state of GHG emission reduction targets, measurement, monitoring, and planning in Canadian municipalities.

Working Group 2

Advance standardized measurement systems and tools (indicators) that can also be used to identify mitigation opportunities and further social equity.

Working Group 3

Enhance municipal monitoring and disclosure, and integrate net-zero accounting and climate budgets into municipal level decision making to enhance transparency on action and gaps, drive planning to close gaps, and provide accountability.

Working Group 4

Enhance community-wide emissions measuring and monitoring (collaborative governance) and ensure equitable, diverse, and inclusive engagement in climate action, measurement, and monitoring.

Working Group 5

Mobilize knowledge resources and tools to diverse audiences using accessible and inclusive formats.

N-ZAP Outputs

The State of Climate Action in Canadian Municipalities Report

The State of Climate Action in Canadian Municipalities summary report includes details on municipal climate action plans, targets, interventions, and stakeholder engagement methods used by municipalities. Download the report from the Partners for Climate Protection (PCP) website.

N-ZAP Database

The N-ZAP database contains valuable information you can use to benchmark your community against the state of climate mitigation in communities across Canada. Access the database from the Waterloo Climate Insitute‘s website.

Webinar Replay

Hear directly from the State of Climate Action in Canadian Municipalities report authors and discover how new research findings can set an important baseline to guide Canadian municipalities toward a better future.

Tracking Climate Action: How Canadian Municipalities Approach Local Climate Action Monitoring, Evaluating, and Progress Communication

Discover what practices are used by Canadian municipalities to measure emissions, set GHG reduction targets, and monitor and report on climate actions.

N-ZAP is a research partnership funded by the Government of Canada through the Climate Action and Awareness Fund (CAAF) and jointly led by the University of Waterloo, ICLEI Canada, and FCM’s GMF, working with 11 other academic institutions, and 8 national organizations and 13 municipal partners. It is one of 24 projects supported by the Government of Canada through CAFF that will advance science and technology to combat climate change. These projects will strengthen Canada’s science capacity to identify, accelerate, and evaluate actions toward achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions. 

Discover similar projects

Energy and emissions planning

Capacity building

Tools and resources

Training and workshops

Peer networking

Climate communications

Reach us

iclei-canada@iclei.org

Suite 204
401 Richmond St. W
Toronto, ON
M5V 3A8

We respectfully acknowledge that ICLEI Canada’s work happens across Turtle Island which has traditionally been and is home to many diverse First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples since time immemorial.

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