Departmental Sustainable Development Strategy

Department of National Defence

Defence Energy and Environment Strategy

Section 1: Context for the Departmental Sustainable Development Strategy

The 2016-2019 Federal Sustainable Development Strategy (FSDS):

  • sets out the Government of Canada’s sustainable development priorities;
  • establishes goals and targets; and
  • identifies actions to achieve them, as required by the Federal Sustainable Development Act.

In keeping with the objectives of the Act to make environmental decision-making more transparent and accountable to Parliament, the Department of National Defence (DND) reports on the implementation of the FSDS and the Defence Energy and Environment Strategy (DEES) through the activities described in the supplementary information table.

Section 2: Sustainable development in the Department of National Defence

The DEES describes the department’s actions towards achieving three FSDS goals: (1) Low-Carbon Government, (2) Healthy Wildlife Populations, and (3) Safe and Healthy Communities. This includes efforts that support the United Nations’ 2030 Agenda and its sustainable development goals. The supplementary information table presents results for the departmental actions related to these goals.

Context for the FSDS goal: Low-carbon government

DND identified a wide range of measures to reduce energy consumption, improve energy efficiency and reduce greenhouse gas emissions from buildings and the commercial vehicle fleet. These measures include:

  • investing in infrastructure projects to reduce our carbon footprint;
  • designating energy managers;
  • pursuing opportunities to use clean power;
  • requiring new construction and major recapitalization projects to meet or exceed high-performing buildings standards;
  • implementing new energy performance contracts;
  • achieving energy performance standards for all new or recapitalized residential housing units;
  • integrating sustainability principles in all real property development plans;
  • modernizing the commercial vehicle fleet; and
  • reducing petroleum-generated electrical energy consumption at deployed camps.

Context for the FSDS goal: Healthy wildlife populations

In recognition of the potential impact of Defence activities on biodiversity and habitat within training and operating areas, Defence adheres to federal regulations on flora and fauna protection, while taking into account the need for military training.

Context for the FSDS goal: Safe and healthy communities

DND manages its contaminated sites to reduce risks to human health and the environment and to reduce the associated financial liability. Range and training areas are managed in order to support force generation in the long term while also minimizing undue impacts on the natural environment from military training. DND is committed to managing hazardous materials with care from purchase to disposal, reducing their use and removing them where possible. DND will optimize its potable water consumption and wastewater production as well as manage its storm-water runoff as per best environmental practices.

Consult the Departmental Sustainable Development Strategy supplementary information table in the 2017–2018 Departmental Results Report for last year’s results.

Section 3: Departmental performance by FSDS goal

The following supplementary information table provides the performance information on departmental actions in support of the FSDS goals listed in Section 2.

FSDS Goal: Low-Carbon Government - The Government of Canada leads by example by making its operations low-carbon

FSDS target(s) FSDS contributing action(s) Corresponding departmental action(s) Support for United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (UN SDG) target Starting point(s), target and performance indicator(s) for departmental actions Results achieved

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from federal government buildings and fleets by 40% below 2005 levels by 2030, with an aspiration to achieve this reduction by 2025

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Improve the energy efficiency of our buildings

By 2030, reduce GHG emissions in DND buildings and commercial vehicle fleet by 40%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SDG 12.7

SDG 13.2

Starting point: 788.9 kt CO2 eq.
% of GHG emissions reduction relative to a 2005 baseline
32%
Invest $225 million by 2020 in a wide range of infrastructure projects across Canada to reduce DND’s carbon footprint % of $225 million expended 73%
Designate energy managers at all bases and wings by 31 March 2019 % of bases and wings with designated energy managers 90%
Pursue opportunities to use clean power at all bases and wings by 2025

Starting point: 55% (FY 2015-16)

% of clean power used at bases and wings

75%
Require new construction and major recapitalization projects to meet or exceed the Silver Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standard or equivalent for high-performing buildings % of new construction and major recapitalization projects meeting or exceeding the Silver LEED standard or equivalent 100%
Achieve an EnerGuide energy performance standard for all new or recapitalized residential housing units by 31 March 2020 % of new or recapitalized residential housing units that have been assessed for energy performance under the EnerGuide program 100%
Implement new energy performance contracts at all bases and wings by 31 March 2025 % of bases and wings with energy performance contracts implemented 25%
Integrate sustainability principles in all real property development plans by 31 March 2020 % of real property development plans with sustainability principles 26%

 

 

Modernize our fleet

Ensure 30% of DND light-duty vehicle fleet runs on hybrid, plug-in hybrid and/or electric technology, where suitable for operational needs and where vehicles with this technology are available in the Government Motor Vehicle Ordering Guide, by 31 March 2020 % of light-duty vehicle fleet that is hybrid, plug-in hybrid and/or electric 27%

 

 

Support the transition to a low-carbon economy through green procurement

Align departmental policy on green procurement with the government’s Policy on Green Procurement within 12 months of its issuance by Treasury Board Applicable departmental policy on green procurement reflects Government of Canada direction Yes
Integrate green procurement considerations in 90% of real property procurement instruments by 31 March 2019, where applicable % of real property procurement instruments with green procurement considerations Baseline not yet established

 

Develop policy for low-carbon government

Achieve 100% compliance with the Cabinet directive on strategic environmental assessments for all relevant departmental proposals % of relevant proposals for which the strategic environmental assessment process is completed 74%

 

Demonstrate innovative technologies

Reduce petroleum-generated electrical energy consumption by 50% at deployed camps by 2030

Starting point: 3 kilowatts per person (FY 2005-06)

% of reduction of petroleum generated electrical energy consumption at deployed camps

55%

FSDS Goal: Healthy Wildlife Populations - All species have healthy and viable populations

FSDS target(s) FSDS contributing action(s) Corresponding departmental action(s) Support for United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (UN SDG) target Starting point(s), target and performance indicator(s) for departmental actions Results achieved
By 2020, species that are secure remain secure, and populations of species at risk listed under federal law exhibit trends that are consistent with recovery strategies and management plans Use legislation and regulations to protect species at risk and migratory birds Endorse species-at-risk work plans for all bases and wings by 31 March 2019 SDG 15.9 % of species-at-risk work plans that are endorsed by Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC)

14% species-at-risk work plans endorsed by ECCC

95% species-at-risk work plans developed by DND

FSDS Goal: Safe and Healthy Communities - All Canadians live in clean, sustainable communities that contribute to their health and well-being

FSDS target(s) FSDS contributing action(s) Corresponding departmental action(s) Support for United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (UN SDG) target Starting point(s), target and performance indicator(s) for departmental actions Results achieved

 

 

 

 

By 2020, address the 4,300 substances identified as priorities for action under the Chemicals Management Plan

 

 

 

 

Demonstrate leadership on assessing and remediating contaminated sites

Reduce DND’s contaminated sites liability by an average of 7% per year by 2020

 

 

 

 

 

SDG 3.9

SDG 12.4

% of reduction in contaminated sites liability based on the closing liability of the previous year

19.8%

Assess the environmental risk of all small arms ranges by 31 March 2019 to recommend modern range design options and the sustainable use of range and training areas % of small arms ranges that are assessed and ranked based on environmental risk 100%
Implement modernized spill tracking and halocarbon management systems by 31 March 2018 Spill tracking system and halocarbon management system implemented Yes
Provide information to inform action and decision making Complete source water vulnerability assessments on all sites where DND supplies its own drinking water by 31 March 2020 % of sites with source water vulnerability assessments completed 73%

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