China: Ocean and Coastal Mapping
In 2002, NRCan's Earth Sciences Sector (ESS) provided a seafloor mapping workshop, held in Qingdao, China. The Geological survey of Canada (GSC) provided the technical specialists and covered the cost of their travel to China. This workshop was one of the first projects supported under the recently signed Memorandum of Understanding accord between ESS and the China Geological Survey (CGS). GSC has a comprehensive marine program and excellent teaching materials. GSC specialists were able to introduce and demonstrate new hardware, particularly in the remote sensing field, as well as material on survey design and applications of marine geoscience in habitat, hazards, and related fields. Four projects are currently under consideration for future collaboration: marine survey of the central China shelf, regional survey of the Yangtze River delta, nearshore mapping and coastal dynamics of the Shandong Peninsula, and geological survey of the Pearl River estuary. The CGS is developing a systematic approach to geoscience mapping, similar to that proposed in Canada under SeaMap and the Geoscience for Ocean Management Program. The GSC is in a position to make contributions to these projects, while learning from the Chinese, who are rapidly evolving their skills in marine geoscience.

Chinese Petroleum Systems, Collaborative Research
The Geological Survey of Canada (GSC) is currently involved in several collaborative studies into petroleum systems geochemistry, both the analysis of Chinese petroleum systems and the development of models using Canadian petroleum systems. Other activities involved include provision of training for post-graduate students in Canadian laboratories, and compilation of petroleum resource data and discussions related to resource assessment techniques.

Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT)
The Geological Survey of Canada (GSC) is responsible for Canada's contribution to the global verification of compliance with the treaty. This includes the operation, installation, and maintenance of facilities related to seismological, infrasound, and hydroacoustic monitoring. GSC is also tasked with setting up and operating the Canadian CTBT National Data Centre for the exchange of data with the International Data Centre in Vienna.
www.can-ndc.nrcan.gc.ca

Geoscience and Health
The Geoscience and Health Project evaluates the effects of geology and the natural environment (element toxicity and deficiency) on the health of animals and humans around the world. The Geological Survey of Canada (GSC) is completing a Canadian project on the urban geochemistry of Greater Victoria and its relation to heavy metal concentrations in children (joint effort with UVic and Xavier University). Members from 35 countries now involved globally. The GSC is also participating in projects in Brazil and Jamaica.

Urban Geochemistry - Northeastern Brazil Groundwater Project
With the financial support of the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), the Geological Survey of Canada (GSC) and the Geological Survey of Brazil (CPRM) collaborated in a technology-transfer program to promote sustainable development of Brazil's mineral resources. Following on the success of this program, a new initiative on groundwater exploration and management in drought-stricken northeastern Brazil was initiated in April 2000. This new program will attempt to bring long-term solutions to the serious problems caused by the periodic droughts that severely affect nearly 25 million people in about 1 million square kilometers of northeastern Brazil. The organizers believe that the introduction of modern groundwater exploration and management techniques can help alleviate the situation through the transfer and adaptation of modern technologies that will improve the groundwater resources management. This CDN$8.5 million project includes a $1.6-million CIDA contribution.
brazil.gsc.nrcan.gc.ca/indexen.html

GlobeSAR-2 Project
GlobeSAR was a global Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) programme led by the Canada Centre for Remote Sensing, and funded by the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) as well as the International Development Research Centre (IDRC). The primary purpose of GlobeSAR was to prepare participating countries to use data from the Canadian satellite RADARSAT-1 and to strengthen their capability to use radar data for resource management applications. GlobeSAR-2 focused on the demonstration of RADARSAT applications for natural resource management in Latin America, and the development of in-country expertise. Eleven Latin American countries participated in GlobeSAR-2.

Guyana: Environmental Capacity Development Project (GENCAPD)
The GENCAPD project is designed to develop environmental expertise in several of the key institutions involved with the mining sector in Guyana and to develop a regulatory framework that will promote the sustainable development of Guyana's mineral resources. This six-year, $3.75 million project, financed by CIDA, focuses on developing technical and managerial capacity within the key mining sector institutions of Guyana, including the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the Guyana Gold and Diamond Miners Association (GGDMA). The University of Guyana also plays a role in the project. The focus of the project is on systems and human resource development with long- and short-term technical and professional training in both Canada and Guyana. MMSL employs a number of Canadian consultants to conduct training, to participate in environmental surveys, and to lead demonstration projects in Guyana.

India: HVFAC Project
NRCan, through CANMET-MTL, is involved in a new project in India to introduce the use of high-volume fly ash concrete (HVFAC). This technology makes use of industrial by-products to reduce the amount of greenhouse gases produced in the conventional production of concrete. HVFAC is a supplementary cementing material designed to replace Portland cement, the principal ingredient in concrete. As every tonne of Portland cement produced releases almost one tonne of CO2 into the atmosphere, replacing about one quarter of the Portland cement with HVFAC will result in significant reductions of greenhouse gas emissions. This three-year $4.9-million project is an initiative of CANMET-MTL, in partnership with the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) and several organizations in India.

INTERMAGNET
Canada is a founding member of this international organization that coordinates the world's network of modern digital magnetic observatories. There are currently 81 observatories from 34 countries participating in the organization. They set and maintain measurement standards and facilitate rapid geomagnetic data transmission to clients world-wide.
www.intermagnet.org

International Atomic Energy Agency
The Geological survey of Canada (GSC) is providing expert assistance on uranium exploration methods, nuclear waste management, and GIS studies to other nations as requested by the International Atomic Energy Agency. GSC organizes workshops on uranium geology, exploration and environment for participants selected by the Agency.

International Model Forest Network
In 1992, NRCan's Canadian Forest Service initiated and funded a Model Forest Program. It consists of 11 sites, totalling about 9 million hectares, in different forest regions across the country. Each involves a diverse partnership of individuals and organizations-government agencies, landowners, community and environmental associations, Aboriginal interest groups, various forest-resource users, industry, professional foresters and other stakeholders. These participants, representing a variety of forest values, work collaboratively, integrating economic, environmental and social objectives and putting them to the test in living laboratories. The success of the program gave birth to the International Model Forest Network, with sites established or under development in Mexico, the United States, Russia, China, Japan, Indonesia, Myanmar, Thailand, the Philippines, Argentina, and Malawi.
www.idrc.ca/imfn

International Union of Geological Sciences Geoindicators Initiative
This interdisciplinary program by the International Union of Geological Sciences (IUGS) includes specialists from around the world interested in evaluating the effects of short-term (days to 10 years) geological events and changes on the state of the environment. IUGS and the private sector fund the program. Geological Survey of Canada (GSC) personnel provide workshops and short courses in developing countries as part of a technology-transfer and capacity-building exercise to improve the working base of planners, earth scientists and others involved in land-use decisions.

Ireland: Seafloor Mapping Project
A Canadian consortium, which includes the Geological Survey of Canada (GSC), acts as the external scientific consultant for this project by the Geological Survey of Ireland, to map the offshore region of Ireland. The Canadian consortium will design the mapping survey, provide equipment specifications, and recommend training requirements.

Mozambique: Land Mine Action Program
The Land Mine Action Program will provide geo-spatial digital information and toponymic information on Mozambique to assist in the identification of land mine locations. NRCan's Earth Sciences Sector is the Executing Agency on behalf of the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) This activity is a CDN$1.3-million component of $10.5-million CIDA project.

Multinational Andean Project: Geoscience for Andean Communities
The high Andean region of South America is a region of extremes: Mountain peaks rise to over 7000 m, snow accumulations are measured in 10s of metres and rainfall in metres; the high plateau suffers from extreme dryness, winds and cold. Along with the climatic extremes, this area is subject to natural disasters on a wide scale and scarcity of water on a local scale. The Geoscience for Andean Communities (GAC) Project will use Canadian experience and expertise to assist the National Geoscience Surveys in Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Venezuela to identify, integrate and disseminate information on natural hazards, hydrological factors and geology in specific areas to support decision making. The Project will build the capability of the National Geoscience agencies to assess natural hazards and provide derivative products to provide direct health and safety information to citizens, assist communities in land use planning and to aid economic development. The Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) is providing CDN$12 million to this $36-million project.
www.pma-map.com/en/gac

Natural Hazards of North America Map
This map was a Geological Survey of Canada (GSC) activity in support of the United Nation's International Decade of Natural Disaster Reduction, completed in collaboration with other Canadian government departments, as well as USA and Mexican University and federal scientists. The project produced a multi-disciplinary natural hazard and disaster map for North America that was published as an inset map in the July 1998 issue of National Geographic Magazine.

Tunisia: GÉONAT Project
NRCan is working with the Government of Tunisia to structure a National Geomatics Framework for the country. For this CDN$4.53-million CIDA project, NRCan's Earth Sciences Sector manages various contracts and acts as consultant to the Government of Tunisia.

Super E® House Program
Canada's Super E® House Program brings energy-efficient, economical, environmentally responsible, Canadian-build housing to international markets. NRCan initially developed the Super E® House Program in 1998 to provide comfortable, energy efficient homes to the Japanese market. Since the program started in 1998 over 30 Japanese companies have partnered with ten Canadian companies to build homes in every region of Japan. Now, the program has expanded to match qualified UK builders with Canadian experts, who facilitate the building process in the UK. The technology advancements, construction techniques, performance testing and quality assurance that are an integral part of every Super E® house ensure the construction of the most durable, efficient and economical home available.
www.super-e.com

Zambia: Environmental Management of the Mining Sector
NRCan's CANMET-MMSL is the executing agency for the four-year CIDA-funded project on Environmental Management in the Mining Sector (EMMS) in Zambia. The goal of the EMMS project is to improve environmental management practices in the mining sector in Zambia, principally by strengthening the institutional capacity of the Mines Safety Department (MSD) of the Ministry of Mines and Minerals Development (MMMD) and other designated institutions to regulate and monitor environmental management while at the same time building knowledge of environmental management amongst Zambian mining companies. The project works with other key mining sector institutions and maintains excellent working relationships with the Zambian stakeholders (both public and private sectors).