Environment, Energy and Sustainable Development

Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada (DFAIT) has the responsibility for coordinating, developing and advancing Canada's bilateral, regional and international positions on environment, energy security and sustainable development issues.

DFAIT is able to address specific issues such as:

• climate change;
• energy policies;
• biodiversity;
• desertification;
• sustainable forest management;
• fresh water issues;
• human settlements;
• ozone, chemicals, waste and air pollution and;
• trade and the environment.

DFAIT is also responsible for providing policy advice and guidance on domestic and international sustainable development issues including Environmental Assessments (EAs), Strategic Environmental Assessments (SEAs) and the Department's Sustainable Development Strategy (SDS).

Climate Change

DFAIT is responsible for engaging in multilateral discussions on climate change in various international fora including the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and its Subsidiary Bodies, the Kyoto Protocol and other international organizations addressing climate change issues. DFAIT also participates in ongoing dialogues on climate change policies with key partner countries. In addition, the Department serves as the Government of Canada's official Designated National Authority for the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) and Focal Point for Joint Implementation (JI) projects.

DFAIT's Internal Environmental and Sustainable Development Activities

DFAIT has an obligation to comply with legislative and regulatory requirements along with cabinet directives to address sustainable development issues and protect the environment.

DFAIT is responsible for:

• providing advice and guidance on Environmental Assessments (EAs) of projects under the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act and Projects Outside of Canada;
• providing advice and guidance on the Strategic Environmental Assessments (SEAs) of policies, plans, and programs including bilateral and multilateral trade agreements;
• preparing and ensuring implementation of the Department's Sustainable Development Strategy (SDS), Agenda 2009

International Environmental and Sustainable Development Activities

DFAIT strives to defend and advance Canada's international interests in environmental protection and sustainable development in bilateral, multilateral and regional fora including issues relating to:

• biodiversity
• desertification
• sustainable forest management
• fresh water
• human settlements
• ozone, chemicals, waste and air pollution
• trade and the environment

To achieve progress in this area of responsibility, the Department works with the major international environmental and sustainable development organizations. It also recommends and oversees funding where appropriate. Domestically, DFAIT works toward agreements and productive partnerships with other government departments, agencies and non-governmental environmental, non-nuclear energy, developmental and business organizations.

Energy

DFAIT established the Energy Secretariat in November 2005, designed to strengthen the Department's capacity to analyse key energy security and related issues by working closely with other Government Divisions, Bureaus, Posts, Departments and stakeholders. It covers the International Energy Agency, the International Energy Forum and a range of regional energy working groups.

Related Links

• Energy Security
• Canadian Commodities

International Multilateral Environmental Agreements and Fora

DFAIT deals with a multitude of multilateral environmental agreements. Information on many of these agreements can be found below. The following list provides external links to the various treaties and bodies dealing with environment, energy, and sustainable development issues.

Database of International Environmental Agreements and Arrangements

Related Links

• Arctic Council (AC)
• Basel Convention on the Control of the Transboundary Movement of Hazardous Waste
• Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES)
• Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution (LRTAP)
• Intergovernmental Forum on Chemical Safety
• International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture
• Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)
• Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer
• North American Commission for Environmental Cooperation
• Rotterdam Convention on the Prior Informed Consent Procedure for Certain Hazardous Chemical and Pesticides in International Trade (PICs)
• Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)
• Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs)
• Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management (SAICM)
• United Nations Forum on Forests
• United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification
• United Nations Human Settlements Program (UN- Habitat)
• United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD)
• United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)
• United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD)
• United Nations Environment Program (UNEP)
• Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer