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Federal State of the Environment ReportsA Vision for “Federal State of the Environment (SOE) Reporting in Canada”In April 1997, the five natural resource (5NR) departments* approved a vision for SOE
reporting that responds to demands for more focused and timely
environmental information. This vision was designed to promote a
federal government-wide commitment to reporting to Canadians on the
state of the country’s environment.
A Vision for Federal SOE Reporting in Canada in MS Word format. Note: The 5NR ended in March 2003. Current State of the Environment Reports
This assessment reviews findings and highlights current trends relating to environmental stresses on the Boreal Shield ecozone, provides direction to strengthen national programs aimed at addressing environmental concerns and developing remedial and preventative strategies, and, finally, focuses on the links of science with policy.* To order a copy, contact the Atlantic Forestry Centre, CFS (phone 506-452-3500). The report is available free of charge. The present report looks at how the Canadian environment is being affected by nitrogen and phosphorus compounds that are released as a result of human activities.* This report outlines the sources and the nature of contaminants entering municipal sewer systems, the degree of municipal wastewater treatment across Canada, the wide variety of impacts that municipal wastewater effluents can have on water quality and on plant and animal life, and the implications of these impacts for human health and beneficial water uses, such as shellfish harvesting and recreation.* What Are State of the Environment (SOE) Reports?State of the environment (SOE) reports attempt to answer five key questions:
The two main purposes of SOE reports are to foster the use of science in policy- and decision-making and to report to Canadians on the condition of their environment. Each SOE report provides an easily understood overview of an important environmental issue for the non-scientist, examines the key trends of the issue, discusses links with other issues, and describes the efforts of government, industry, and others to address the issue and make progress towards environmental sustainability. SOE reports are prepared in many countries and regions throughout the world. In Canada, SOE reports have been published by several federal departments/agencies as well as by a good number of provinces/territories and municipalities. The Approach to Preparing SOE ReportsThe approach to preparing SOE reports is to build on existing knowledge of environmental issues. It stresses partnerships, takes advantage of ongoing monitoring and research, and uses advanced technology for communicating information to Canadians. It promotes the incorporation of SOE report criteria into the design of policy-driven, science-based assessments. This is to be supported by a nationwide ecological monitoring network and linked to regularly reported indicators. This approach will ensure that Canadians continue to have access to information on the state of their environment and that the needs of decision-makers are met. What are the minimum criteria for SOE reports?Content criteriaSOE reports should:
Presentation criteriaEach SOE report should:
Contact Knowledge Integration Strategies DivisionPlease send any comments to the following address: Knowledge Integration Strategies Division Fax: (819) 994-5738 * This report is available through our Inquiry Center in printed version or in PDF format from our website. For more information contact: Knowledge Integration Strategies Division (NIRO) or Environment Canada Inquiry Centre. |
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