POLICY BRIEF ON ENVIRONMENT ISSUES IN CANADA
Executive Summary
Environment issues have been a subject of concern to many countries across the world, Canada included. Some environmental problems facing Canada include; greenhouse emissions, overfishing, pollution, and global warming. The measures which have been taken by the Canadian government to mitigate environmental problems such as pricing carbon pollution and reduction of greenhouse gases emissions have not addressed environmental concerns effectively. The government needs to adapt alternative measures such as promoting sustainable and organic agricultural production, transitioning completely to renewable energy, and avoiding irreversible and impacts on the ecological system.
Introduction
The pressure on the environment has been escalating in the recent past in Canada and other countries around the world. Some environmental problems such as greenhouse gas emissions, overfishing, and water pollution call for urgent action to mitigate the effects and reverse negative trends. For many decades, Canada has been trying to address environmental problems. There has been some major improvements in areas like reduction of the ozone-depleting chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) emissions (Burch, 2016). Some action has also been taken to mitigate water pollution and improve water quality in rivers and lakes. However, this efforts have not tackled the issue effectively and more needs to be done by the government, non-governmental organizations, and the entire society to mitigate these issues.
Communities in Canada need to respond to some environmental issues such as the challenges of a changing climate, floods, and pollution. Another step which could be taken to mitigate environmental issues is transitioning from fossil fuels to renewable sources of energy. More needs to be done to reduce the emission of greenhouse gases so as to reduce global warming. The objectives of the 2015 Paris Agreement cannot be realized without transformative levels and actions of climate change mitigation and adaptation. Therefore, it is recommendable for Canada to take some steps such as enhancing biodiversity, constructing wetlands, urban forest enhancement, promoting use of renewable energy, and innovating ways of capturing and storing carbon (Burch, 2016). Other measures which can be taken to tackle environmental issues include; promoting organic agriculture, enforcing stronger pricing mechanisms in order to influence manufacturers and consumers, and promoting eco-labels and tradable permits.
Approach
The Canadian government is committed to conserve and protect the environment by prioritizing conservation of land, waters, and the entire environment for future generations. Canada and Alberta has partnered with Indigenous groups, territories, and provinces to develop a pathway to conserve at least ten percent of marine and coastal areas and seventeen percent of Canada’s inland waters and terrestrial areas by 2020 (Burch, 2016). The country has also taken some initiatives like giving free admissions to Canada’s national historic sites, national parks, national wildlife areas, and national marine conservation areas. The initiative is aimed to get more Canadians to explore nature and mentor the environmental stewards for the future.
The government has taken some initiatives to promote clean growth and address the issue of climate change by pricing carbon pollution. The move is aimed at reducing the emission of greenhouse gases, protect the environment, and arouse investment in low-carbon innovations. The government has also been committed to reduce methane emission from oil and gas sector so as to reduce the emission of greenhouse gases and conserve natural gas. The Canadian government has also strived to create a clean transport sector by investing in electric-vehicle charging stations, promotion of a clean-fuels standard, and innovation of zero-emissions vehicles (Barbier, 2010). The government has also deployed renewable power and reduced the reliance on diesel by northern communities as part of a new Arctic policy framework.
The Canadian government has also ensured Canadians have clean water by protecting the coasts in an advanced way that guarantees environmental sustainability. The government has collaborated with the Indigenous communities and coastal residents through the Oceans Protection Plan to use the coast safely and responsibly. Initiatives have also been taken to better protect the freshwater resources like Lake Winnipeg and the Great Lakes basins. The government has enhanced air quality by reducing temporary climate pollutants like methane, black carbon, and ground-level ozone. The initiative is aimed towards meeting the recommended temperature levels outlined in the Paris Agreement. The Canadian government has also implemented the Air Quality Management System to help reduce air pollution and enhance air quality.
The Canadian government has taken a global leadership role by actively negotiating the Paris Climate Agreement and other global agreements to cut down the use of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs). The government has also committed to donate $2.65 billion to help third world countries adapt to climate change and transition to renewable energy and low-carbon economies. The government has also launched a global initiative called Mission Innovation, to increase the investment in clean energy research. The government of Canada has continuously worked with territories, indigenous people, provinces and the entire Canadian population to build a clean-growth economy and help communities to adapt to the changing climatic conditions.
Recommendations
The government of Canada has taken various initiatives to tackle environmental problems as discussed above. These measures have however, not addressed all environmental issues in Canada. There has been some major improvements in areas like reduction of chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) emissions. However, this efforts have not tackled the issue effectively and more needs to be done by the government, non-governmental organizations, and the entire society to mitigate these issues. The objectives of the 2015 Paris Agreement cannot be met without addressing some environment problems such as, water, air, and water pollution, and overfishing (Burch, 2010). The pressures on the environment will not reduce unless strong policies are enacted and implemented to conserve the ecosystem. Therefore, the brief provides some policy recommendations to the Canadian government to address environmental issues.
The brief recommends that Canada should take additional alternatives like avoiding irreversible impacts on the ecological system and making sure that the possibility of substitution exists for non-renewable sources of energy. Alternatively, the government can transition to renewable sources of energy such as solar energy, wind power, biomass, and hydroelectric energy. The government should also de-couple environmental pressures from economic growth. That would ensure that economic growth coexist with enhanced quality of the environment. Canada can also decrease adverse effects of agricultural production by encouraging organic farming (Burch, 2010). The government should also promote environmentally sound practices and sustainable farming. Globally, strict actions are needed to ensure compliance with agreements and instruments like the Multilateral Environmental Agreements and the Paris Agreement. To make this realistic, the Canadian government needs to actively engage indigenous communities, corporates, and all Canadians in the efforts to tackle environmental issues.
In conclusion, Canada has been trying to address environmental problems. There has been some major improvements in areas like reduction of the ozone-depleting chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) emissions. However, these efforts have not tackled the issue effectively and more needs to be done by the government, non-governmental organizations, and the entire society to mitigate these issues. Canada should take measures like avoiding irreversible and impacts on the ecological system, transitioning to renewable sources of energy such as solar energy, wind power, biomass, and hydroelectric energy. That would ensure that economic growth coexist with enhanced quality of the environment.
References
Barbier, E. (2010). How is the global green new deal going?. Nature, 464(7290), 832-833.
Burch, S. (2010). “In pursuit of resilient, low-carbon communities: An examination of barriers to action in three Canadian cities.” Energy Policy 38 (12): 7575–85
Burch, S. (2016). Uncovering the implications of the Paris agreement: Climate change as a catalyst for transformative sustainability in cities.