Nanaimo recognized on CDP's 2024 A List for Climate Leadership

City earns top global recognition for environmental transparency and climate action

NEWS RELEASE - Distributed June 3, 2025 11:00 AM

The City of Nanaimo has been named to CDP’s 2024 Cities A List, recognizing global leadership in environmental transparency, climate action and resilience planning. Only 112 cities worldwide earned CDP’s top score, including just eight in Canada.

This is the second time Nanaimo has made the list having also been on it in 2022. Earning a spot on CDP’s A List is a significant achievement that reflects the highest standard of local climate leadership. To be recognized, cities must publicly disclose through CDP-ICLEI Track and meet rigorous criteria—including a city-wide emissions inventory, a climate risk and vulnerability assessment (CRVA) and a published climate action plan. The City has implemented a number of initiatives to address climate change including taking a leadership approach in advancing the upper steps of the BC Zero Carbon Step Code and taking steps to identify climate change hazards and reduce their impact.

Canada’s 2024 A List cities include: Nanaimo, alongside Burlington, Calgary, Halifax, Montréal, Toronto, Vancouver and Windsor.

Canada’s 2024 A List cities are leading with integrated climate strategies that combine risk assessments, bold emissions targets and sector-specific actions like building retrofits and flood mitigation. These cities are using CDP disclosure not just for transparency, but as a strategic tool to guide investment, align with net-zero goals and strengthen local climate resilience.

"Nanaimo was one of two communities in BC and one of only eight communities across Canada to make it to the A list," said Acting Mayor/Councillor Ben Geselbracht, "This is a big accomplishment and evidence of the leadership approach we have taken on climate action from initiatives to make home energy retrofits more affordable to changing how we power our services. On behalf of Council, I want to congratulate City staff on a job well done!"

"Congratulations to the City of Nanaimo for earning a spot on CDP’s A list. Nanaimo is leading by example, by disclosing transparently how it is prioritizing and integrating climate resiliency and sustainability across their city. From investing in infrastructure to building stronger local economies and creating jobs, Canadian local governments on CDP’s 2024 A List are forging ahead on climate action.” Katie Walsh, Head of Climate Finance for Cities, States and Regions and North America Lead, CDP North America.

To view CDP’s full Cities, States and Regions A List please visit: www.cdp.net/en/data/scores.

About CDP

CDP is a global non-profit that runs the world’s only independent environmental disclosure system. As the founder of environmental reporting, we believe in transparency and the power of data to drive change. Partnering with leaders in enterprise, capital, policy and science, we surface the information needed to enable Earth-positive decisions. We helped more than 24,800 companies and almost 1,000 cities, states and regions disclose their environmental impacts in 2024. Financial institutions with more than a quarter of the world’s institutional assets use CDP data to help inform investment and lending decisions. Aligned with the ISSB’s climate standard, IFRS S2, as its foundational baseline, CDP integrates best-practice reporting standards and frameworks in one place. Our team is truly global, united by our shared desire to build a world where people, planet and profit are truly balanced. Visit CDP.net or follow us @CDP to find out more.

For more information about CDP’s A List, or to arrange interviews, please contact: George Bush (george.bush@cdp.net)

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