This global environmental treaty strictly regulates
the trasboundary movements of hazardous wastes and
provides obligations to its Parties to ensure that
such wastes are managed and disposed of in an
environmentally sound manner.
The objectives of the Basel Convention on
Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes
and their Disposal are:
Canada's Commitments
The Convention was adopted in 1989 and entered into
force on May 5th, 1992. Canada became a party
to the agreement on March 22nd, 1989, ratified
the agreement on August 28th, 1992 and entered
into force on November 26th, 1992.
The Convention on Biological Diversity is the first
global, comprehensive agreement to address all aspects
of biological diversity: genetic resources,
species, and ecosystems.
Inspired by the world community's growing commitment
to sustainable development, the Convention on Biological
Diversity strives to:
Canada's Commitments
The Convention was opened for signature on June 5th, 1992
at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development.
Canada signed onto the agreement on June 11th,
1992 and ratified it on December 4th, 1992.
The Convention entered into force on December 29th, 1993.
The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species
of Wild Fauna and Flora, entered into force on July 1st,
1975 and now has a membership of 146 countries.
These countries
act by banning commercial international
trade in an agreed list of endangered species and by
regulating and monitoring trade in others that might
become endangered.
Canada's Commitments
Canada ratified the agreement on April 10th, 1975.
The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea was opened
for signature on December 10th, 1982. This marked the
culmination of more than 14 years of work involving
participation by more than 150 countries.
The Convention, which entered into force on
November 16th, 1994, embodies and enshrines the notion
that all problems of ocean space are closely interrelated
and need to be addressed as a whole.
Today, it is the globally recognized regime dealing
with all matters relating to the law of the sea.
The Convention includes 320 articles and nine annexes,
governing all aspects of ocean space, such as:
Two further agreements have been developed under the auspices of
the Convention. The first, the Agreement on the
Implementation of Part XI of the Convention entered
into force on July 28th, 1996. However, the Agreement on
the Implementation of the Provisions of the Convention
relating to the Conservation and Management of Straddling
Fish Stocks and Highly Migratory Fish Stocks is not yet in force.
Canada's Commitments
Several countries, including Canada, have not yet become
parties to the Convention on Law of the Seas and the
Agreement, and ceased to be members of the International
Seabed Authority on a provisional basis on November 16th, 1998.
Canada became a party to the Agreement on the
Implementation of the Provisions of the Convention
relating to the Conservation and Management
of Straddling Fish Stocks and Highly Migratory
Fish Stocks on December 4th, 1995.
The agreement was ratified on August 3rd, 1999.
The objective of the Convention to Combat Desertification
is to combat desertification and mitigate the effects
of drought in countries experiencing either serious
drought or desertification.
Achieving this objective
will involve effective action at all levels, supported by
international cooperation and partnership arrangements,
in the framework of an integrated approach which is
consistent with Agenda 21, with a view to contributing
to the achievement of sustainable development in affected areas.
Canada's Commitments
Signatory countries not affected by
desertification, such as Canada, are obliged to assist
in the implementation of the Convention . This includes:
The United Nations adopted the Universal Declaration of Human
Rights on December 10th, 1948.
The Declaration was one of the first major
achievements of the United Nations, as it represented
"a world milestone in the long struggle for human rights,"
in the words of a UN General Assembly representative from France.
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights represented a
common statement of goals and aspirations and a vision
of the world as the international community would want
it to become.
The year 1998 marked the 50th anniversary of the
"Magna Carta for all humanity."
The theme of the event, "All Human Rights for All,"
highlighted the universality, the indivisibility and the
interrelationship of all human rights.
It reinforces the idea that human rights,
civil, cultural, economic, political and social,
should be taken in their totality and not disassociated
from one another.
The objective of the Convention on Climate Change and any
related legal instruments that the Conference of the Parties
may adopt is to achieve, in accordance with the relevant
provisions of the Convention, stabilization of
greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere at a
level that would prevent dangerous anthropogenic
interference with the climate system.
Such a level should be achieved within a time-frame
sufficient to allow ecosystems to adapt
naturally to climate change, to ensure that food production
is not threatened and to enable economic
development to proceed in a sustainable manner.
Canada's Commitments
The Convention was adopted on May 9th, 1992 and entered into
force on March 21st, 1994. Canada became a party to
the Convention on June 12th, 1992, ratified the agreement
on December 4th, 1992, which came into force on March 21st, 1994.
The Kyoto Protocol was adopted at the
Conference of the Parties to the UNFCCC in Kyoto,
Japan, on December 11th, 1997.
Canada signed the Kyoto Protocol on April 29th, 1998,
committing to a 6 per cent emission reduction in
greenhouse gases. Canada has not yet ratified the agreement.
During the Uruguay Round negotiations in April 1994,
Trade Ministers took a Decision to begin a comprehensive
work programme on trade and environment in the WTO.
The issue of trade and environment was not included
for negotiation in the Uruguay Round, but certain environmental
concerns were nevertheless addressed in the results of the
negotiations.
The Preamble to the WTO Agreement includes direct references
to the objective of sustainable development and to the need
to protect and preserve the environment.
The WTO Committee on Trade and Environment has brought
environmental and sustainable development issues
into the mainstream of WTO work.
Trade and environment are both important areas
of policymaking and they should be mutually supportive
in order to promote sustainable development.
The multilateral trading system has, according to the WTO,
the capacity to further integrate environmental
considerations and enhance its contribution to the
promotion of sustainable development without undermining
its open, equitable and non-discriminatory character.
The Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone
Layer aims to reduce and eventually eliminate the
emissions of man-made ozone depleting substances.
After a series of rigorous meetings and negotiations the
Protocol was finally agreed upon at the Headquarters
of the International Civil Aviation Organization in Montreal.
The final agreement was far more specific and strict
than anyone had thought possible only a few months before.
Canada's Commitments
The Protocol came into force on January 1st, 1989.
Since then several other countries have joined.
165 countries are now Parties to the Convention and the Protocol,
of which well over 100 are developing countries.
Canada signed onto the Montreal protocol on September 16th, 1987
and ratified the agreement on June 30th, 1988.
The objective of countries in agreeing to the Prior Informed
Consent procedure was to improve the protection
of human health and the environment from the potential
adverse effects of certain chemicals.
The procedure recognizes that some countries do not have sufficient
legal and regulatory systems or the financial and human
resources to gather the necessary information and to
make and implement informed decisions
concerning the use of chemicals in their national situation.
The procedure promotes a shared responsibility between
exporting and importing countries in protecting human health
and the environment from the harmful effects of certain hazardous
chemicals that are being traded internationally.
In November 1994 the Food and Agriculture Organization's
Council agreed that the FAO Secretariat should proceed
with the preparation of a draft PIC convention
as part of the current FAO/UNEP programme on PIC and in
cooperation with other international and non-governmental
organizations concerned.
Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) are chemical substances
that persist in the environment, bioaccumulate
through the food web, and pose a risk of causing adverse
effects to human health and the environment.
With the evidence of long-range transport of these substances
to regions where they have never been used or produced and
the consequent threats they pose to the environment
of the whole globe, the international community has
called for urgent global actions to reduce and eliminate
releases of these chemicals.
UNEP's Governing Council has welcomed progress in the
preparation of an international legally binding instrument
for implementing international action on certain organic
pollutants.
An intergovernmental negotiating committee has been invited
to continue its work with a view to the conclusion
of a legally binding instrument by the year 2000.
Canada's Commitments
Environment Canada has taken a leading role in organizing,
initiating and moving negotiations forward on this convention.
PLANS OF ACTION FROM INTERNATIONAL
At the conclusion of the World Summit for Social Development -
held 6-12 March 1995 in Copenhagen, Denmark -
Governments adopted a Declaration and Programme of Action
which represent a new consensus on the need to put people
at the centre of development.
The largest gathering yet of world leaders
ll7 heads of State or Government - pledged to make the conquest
of poverty, the goal of full employment and the
fostering of stable, safe and just societies their
overriding objectives.
The fundamental objectives of the Declaration and Plan
of Action include:
In a review of follow-up on the implementation of the
Plan of Action, Canada reports that government authorities
at both the federal and provincial levels have taken
initiatives to provide social safety nets and reduce
the number of people living in poverty.
These actions focused on the three key elements of learning,
work and social security, and included:
·
Canada is also committed to directing 25 per cent of its
development assistance to meeting basic human needs,
with collateral, emphasizing democratic development,
strengthening the position of women and youth and
promoting employment opportunities for vulnerable groups.
Basel Convention on Transboundary Movements
of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal
Website
Convention on Biological Diversity
Website
Convention on International Trade
in Endangered Species
Website
Convention on Law of the Sea
Website
Convention to Combat Desertification
Website
Canada became a party to the Convention on October 14th, 1994,
and subsequently ratified the Convention on December 1st, 1995.
The agreement came into force in Canada on December 26th, 1996.
The Convention to Combat Desertification entered into
force on December 26th, 1996.
Universal Declaration of Human Rights
Website
Convention on Climate Change>
Website World Trade Organization
Website
Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer
Website
Convention on Trade in Dangerous Chemicals and
Pesticides
(under negotation)
Website
Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants
(under negotiation)
Website
HIGH-LEVEL CONFERENCES
World Summit for Social Development - Plan of Action
Website
Canada's Commitments
At the international level, Canada contributed to
development assistance programmes in support of
sustainable development activities in order to
reduce poverty and secure a more equitable and prosperous world.
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CONVENTIONS
PLANS OFACTION
World Summit for Social Development