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Trade and Environment
Ongoing Environmental Assessments
Environmental Assessment of Trade - FAQ
OUTCOMES
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How does an EA of trade inform
the Canadian negotiating activities?
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The Chief Negotiator chairs the interdepartmental EA Committee
established for a negotiation and reviews all reports. Negotiators
for specific issue areas examined in the EA are directly
involved in the EA of trade and investment negotiations,
and the consultations therein. As such, those involved in
the negotiations are aware of the EA findings and the potential
environmental impacts of different outcomes in the negotiations.
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The key findings from an EA are included in the documents
provided to Ministers and Cabinet requesting a negotiating
mandate, or reporting on the status of ongoing negotiations.
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Overall, EAs can help refine Canada’s negotiating
positions and identify measures to mitigate anticipated
negative environmental impacts.
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How are last minute changes
in negotiations assessed for their environmental implications?
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The 2001 Framework for Conducting EAs of Trade Negotiations
calls for three phases of increasingly detailed analysis,
which proceed based on progress within the negotiations.
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An Initial EA occurs early on in the negotiations, and
a more detailed Draft EA occurs at an advanced stage of
the negotiations when the Initial EA identifies the need
for further detailed analysis. The Framework allows for
further analysis if changes occur in latter stages of the
negotiations, and calls for a Final EA based on the conclusion
of the negotiations.
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Final EA Reports identify any notable divergence from the
Draft EA and subsequent analysis undertaken due to last
minute changes in negotiations.
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EAs generally provide analysis of the potential environmental
impacts that would result from different scenarios that
could result from the negotiations. Further, negotiators
are made aware of key trade and environment relationships
associated with different negotiating areas.
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How have the assessments affected
negotiations?
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An important way that EAs have affected negotiations is
by sensitizing trade negotiators to overall relationships
between trade and environment, and how trade negotiations
could impact the Canadian environment and promote the mutual
supportiveness of both trade and environmental objectives.
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To date, there have not been any cases where a significant
change in Canada’s negotiating position would change
the anticipated environmental impacts of the negotiations.
However, environmental concerns are taken into account when
developing Canadian negotiating positions in all trade and
investment negotiations.
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If an EA indicated that the negotiations could have serious
negative environmental impacts in Canada, the Government
would consider the existing and potential options to mitigate
the environmental impacts, and then, if necessary, re-evaluate
its positions and participation in the negotiations.
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Are the findings from an environmental
assessment binding?
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The Framework is informed by the 2004 Cabinet Directive
on Environmental Assessment of Policy, Plan and Program
Proposals, which does not impose binding responsibilities
on the recommendations flowing from a strategic environmental
assessment.
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The Guidelines for Implementing the Cabinet Directive highlight
the principle of flexibility. Departments and agencies have
discretion in determining how strategic environmental assessments
are undertaken and are encouraged to adapt and refine tools
and methodologies appropriate to their circumstance.
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How is the environment considered
after an agreement is concluded?
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The mechanisms that are used to consider the environmental
impacts of a specific trade or investment agreement will
vary based on the agreement and the anticipated environmental
effects.
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Within the WTO, trade-related environmental issues are
discussed in various committees, including the Committee
on Trade and Environment.
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Environmental cooperation agreement agreements have been
established in tandem to our free trade agreements with
our NAFTA partners, Chile, and Costa-Rica.
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Policies and programs are implemented by various government
departments to facilitate environmental protection and management
in Canada, including with respect to the impacts of trade.
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