Canada
needs to improve its international image in regards to environmental policy.
The government keeps changing its regulations and deregulating more and more when it comes to
the environment, with the most recent budget cutting environmental spending by
20%.
particularly Bill C-38 (the 2012 budget implementation bill) cut
approximately 160 million from the environment ministry in 2012.
Programs that
were hit the hardest were climate change and air pollution focused, which is
the environmental problems that Canada struggles with the most - being one of
the worst internationally for carbon footprint per capita. Moving on to other
aspects of the budget cuts...
The Experimental Lakes Area, a primary research
facility on water conservation and environmental impacts has been nearly shut
down because of these cuts.
This environmental embarrassment goes hand in hand
with the Harper Government pulling the plug on the Kyoto Accord.
Bill C-38
in particular is really aggravating the environmentally conscious community, with
petitions arising all over the internet to revoke it.
It removed fisheries
protections, granted the right for the national energy board to make decisions
on habitat destruction, and completely decimate the Canadian Environmental
Assessment Act which has been in place for decades. As a country that relies
rather extensively on the environment for economic support, one would assume...
Even a conservative government would recognize the importance of protecting
sustainable forestry and eco-tourism.
Overall, it's
clear that there are massive contradictions in the world of the Harper Government.
Internationally,
Canada is reputed to have some of the most beautiful natural areas...
But our
international image is slowly deteriorating with Harper Governments reduction
in environmental protection and funding.
The international community is
catching on to the problems within Canada in regards to environmental
devaluation. in 2012, Canada ranked below Costa Rica, Brazil, and 36 other
countries on the status of environmental policies.
It is so sad to be so disheartened by our own governments disregard for the importance of the environment.
* Adapted fro GEO 426 assignment*
*Would you like to sign the petition against C-38?
BE MY GUEST! *
As a development student, and someone who is looking into doing their masters degree in climate change, I find myself insulted by Canada's environmental policies as well! As such a developed nation, we should be a role model for other country's environmental policy, but all we're doing is taking huge steps backwards. And the scary thing is I don't know what action I can take to improve the situation. Advocacy and protest and awareness will all get us somewhere, but it doesn't change the fact that we are creating such horrible climate change impacts right now. It frustrates me that Canada is an environmental dinosaur, and that it's going to take a lot more than what we're doing now to fix that.
ReplyDeleteI agree, I feel like its soo easy to take a step backwards, but so hard to push anything forwards. Everything these days is just reversing.
ReplyDelete