Canada and the Environment

Canada is 151st in the world in terms of its responsibility towards the environment. This rank is calculated from 7 data sets. Canada performs the best for how quickly it ratified the 1993 Convention on Biological Diversity. It comes in the best 20 in terms of its score on the Green Future Index₁ (amongst the best in The Americas). It does better than average in its environmental performance₂ (the best in The Americas) and in the rate of rational beliefs on the environment in the population₃ (but one of the worst in The Americas). Canada got off to an early start in its efforts, when the environmentalist lobby group Greenpeace was founded in Vancouver in 1971₄. Canada does not succeed in everything, however. Canada does worse than average in its forested percent change 2000-2020₅ and in reducing annual meat consumption per person₆. And finally, it falls into the worst-performing 20 in energy to GDP efficiency₇ (one of the highest in The Americas). In 2015 it was noted that the Conservative Party of Canada only pays "lip service" to preventing climate change, but at least, it does this in the face of its large tar sands oil industry₈. In 2021, things got worse, not better, when party members voted not to recognize the climate crisis as real₉.

1. Canada's Responsibility Towards The Environment
2. Data Sets
   1. Forest Area Change 2000-2020
   2. Environmental Performance
   3. Energy to GDP Efficiency
   4. Convention on Biological Diversity
   5. Rational Beliefs on the Environment
   6. Meat Consumption
   7. Green Future Index
3. Links

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1. Canada's Responsibility Towards The Environment

#climate_change #the_environment

Compared to The Americas (2025)10
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank10
1	Puerto Rico	47.1
2	Uruguay	53.8
3	Costa Rica	54.7
	...
24	Bahamas	102.0
25	USA	103.5
26	Bolivia	103.9
27	Canada	104.8
28	Belize	107.3
29	Barbados	107.6
30	Paraguay	115.4
31	St Vincent & Grenadines	115.8
32	Guyana	116.6
	The Americas Avg	92.7
q=36.

Responsibility Towards The Environment (2025)10
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank10
1	Sri Lanka	37.6
2	Burundi	42.9
3	Philippines	46.2
	...
148	Namibia	104.5
149	Solomon Islands	104.5
150	Estonia	104.6
151	Canada	104.8
152	Kyrgyzstan	104.9
153	Oman	105.6
154	Singapore	105.8
155	Uzbekistan	106.2
	World Avg	86.3
q=184.

2. Data Sets

2.1. Forest Area Change 2000-2020

#biodiversity #deforestation #environmentalism #forests #over-exploitation #the_environment

Forest Area Change 2000-2020 Higher is better5
Pos.		Total5
1	Guernsey	82.6%
2	Bahrain	75.2%
3	Iceland	64.7%
	...
136=	Saudi Arabia	0.0%
137	Nepal	-0.1%
138	Finland	-0.2%
139	Canada	-0.3%
140	Guadeloupe	-0.5%
141	Solomon Islands	-0.6%
142	Western Sahara	-0.6%
143	Mongolia	-0.6%
	The Americas Avg	-2.1%
	World Avg	-0.1%
q=234.

Canada is 139th in the world regarding its forested percent change 2000-2020.

Forests are carbon sinks, mitigating against climate change_11,12. Unfortunately, we are destroying over 70,000 km² of forest each year₁₃. In the last few thousand years, we've removed 30-40% of the Earth's forest cover_14,12, mostly to clear space for agriculture, and for logging_15,16. The produce from both is shipped from poorer countries to richer ones. Half-hearted government efforts and company obfuscation of supply chains makes it almost impossible for consumers to tell which foods and products are from sustainable sources, and which ones are encouraging irresponsible deforestation, meaning that there is little incentive for companies to relent.

The effects are catastrophic. 15% of all greenhouse gas emissions are the result of deforestation_17,15. It brings soil erosion from wind and rain which, over time, can almost-permanently stop any hope of growing food₁₈, and spreads desertification. Entire ecosystems are collapsing as a result, including ones that we depend upon₁₉. The water cycle is driven by forests, and their loss reduces ordinary rainfall, increases flooding, removes an abundant source of water filtration, and contributes to a rise in water levels.₂₀.

Some regions of the world are increasing their forest cover₁₂; the best from 2000-2020 are Scandinavia (13.8% ), The Balkans (11.0% ) and Baltic States (7.6% )₅. There is an overall trend that developed countries gathered their riches by using up their natural resources, and now, they pay poorer countries to use up theirs instead, whilst they can afford to slowly rebuild their natural environments. But it's not wholly that simple - some rich regions are still burning through what they've got. The regions clearing their forests fastest are Central America (-12.8% ), Africa (-9.1% ) and North America (-2.9% )₅.

For more, see:

• "Deforestation" by Vexen Crabtree (2024).

Averages by decade for Canada (for the ranks, lower is better):

Forest Area Change 2000-2020	2000s  Average	2010s  Average
Canada:	-0.1%	-0.1%
World Rank:	134th	⇣  146th
World Avg:	0.6%	-0.7%

2.2. Environmental Performance

#climate_change #energy #sustainability #the_environment

Environmental Performance Higher is better2
Pos.		20182
1	Switzerland	87.4
2	France	84.0
3	Denmark	81.6
	...
22	Greece	73.6
23	Taiwan	72.8
24	Cyprus	72.6
25	Canada	72.2
26	Portugal	71.9
27	USA	71.2
28	Slovakia	70.6
29	Lithuania	69.3
	The Americas Avg	58.8
	World Avg	56.4
q=180.

Canada ranks 25th in the world in terms of its environmental performance (the highest in The Americas).

The Environmental Performance Index 2018 data includes 24 indicators including air pollution, water and sanitation, biodiversity, ecosystems and environmental health, combined into a single score by country, by the Yale University Center for Environmental Law & Policy.

2.3. Energy to GDP Efficiency

#energy #sustainability #the_environment

Energy to GDP Efficiency Lower is better7
Pos.		2022 Avg7
1	Rwanda	0.25
2	Chad	0.26
3	Tanzania	0.31
	...
153	Iran	2.24
154	Russia	2.25
155	Oman	2.28
156	Canada	2.29
157	Malta	2.36
158	Mozambique	2.38
159	N. Korea	2.46
160	Laos	2.75
	The Americas Avg	1.42
	World Avg	1.23
q=165.

One of the worst in The Americas regarding energy to GDP efficiency, Canada comes 10th-worst in the world.

GDP per unit of energy consumption is often called 'Energy Intensity'. It's how efficient countries are at producing GDP in terms of primary energy use. It represents primary energy consumption using the substitution method, per unit of gross domestic product (GDP). A lower value means that less energy was used to maintain the country's GDP.

Averages by decade for Canada (for the ranks, lower is better):

Energy to GDP Efficiency	1960s  Average	1970s  Average	1980s  Average	1990s  Average	2000s  Average	2010s  Average
Canada:	4.21	4.39	3.97	3.60	2.94	2.56
World Rank:	60th	⇣  61st	⇣  133rd	⇣  140th	⇣  152nd	⇣  156th
World Avg:	2.05	2.13	2.10	2.15	1.60	1.30

2.4. Convention on Biological Diversity

#biodiversity #the_environment #USA

Convention on Biological Diversity Earlier is better
Pos.		Total Signed
1=	China	1993 Dec 29
1=	Guinea	1993 Dec 29
1=	Cook Islands	1993 Dec 29
	...
4=	Armenia	1993 Dec 29
4=	Ecuador	1993 Dec 29
4=	Fiji	1993 Dec 29
4=	Canada	1993 Dec 29
4=	Monaco	1993 Dec 29
4=	Maldives	1993 Dec 29
4=	Marshall Islands	1993 Dec 29
4=	Seychelles	1993 Dec 29
	The Americas Avg	1899 Dec 30
	World Avg	1899 Dec 30
q=197.

With respect to how quickly it ratified the 1993 Convention on Biological Diversity, Canada ranks best in the world.

The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) was originally sparked from United Nations activity in the 1980s as a result of rising scientific alarm over the impact of human activity on natural habitats, including a rising awareness of extinctions and shifts in ecosystems that occasionally cause widespread disruption that is difficult (or impossible) to reverse.

After a long period of international consultation involving hundreds of scientists and environmental ministers, the Convention was finalized and launched at the Rio Earth Summit in 1992, and received 168 signatures over the subsequent year.

Part of the first wave of signees were a large number of small island nations, who are uniquely susceptible to over-exploitation by rich companies and countries, but simultaneously, are (as a group) the least responsible for driving global extinctions.

Data on when each country ratified the CBD forms part of the formula of the Social and Moral Development Index, with countries losing points for reticence (taking into account the foundation dates of newly independent countries). The USA stands alone in not ratifying it, but is the world's greatest driver for activities that cause biodiversity loss.

For more, see:

• "Humanity is the Cause of the Earth's Current Sixth Mass Extinction Event" by Vexen Crabtree (2019).

2.5. Rational Beliefs on the Environment

Rational Beliefs on the Environment Higher is better3
Pos.		2011 %3
1	Argentina	78.3%
2	Greece	77.6%
3	Brazil	77.1%
	...
62	Ukraine	41.5%
63	Jordan	41.4%
64	India	41.2%
65	Canada	41.2%
66	Serbia	41.1%
67	Ghana	40.4%
68	Moldova	40.4%
69	Cameroon	39.0%
	The Americas Avg	58.6%
	World Avg	39.9%
q=145.

Canada comes 65th in the world with regard to the rate of rational beliefs on the environment in the population (amongst the lowest in The Americas).

2.6. Meat Consumption

#animal_rights #animal_welfare #diet #food #health #meat #veganism #vegetarianism

Meat Consumption Lower is better6
Pos.		2021 kg6
1	Congo, DR	03.0
2	Burundi	03.5
3	Bangladesh	04.3
	...
159	Antigua & Barbuda	85.8
160	France	86.1
161	Barbados	86.4
162	Canada	86.9
163	New Caledonia	87.5
164	Montenegro	88.4
165	Belarus	88.9
166	Poland	89.3
	The Americas Avg	70.3
	World Avg	52.5
q=185.

In terms of reducing annual meat consumption per person, Canada ranks 162nd in the world.

Vegetarian diets have health advantages over carnivorous diets. Plant-based diets use much less water than carnivorous ones, to the extent that agricultural and water management scientists are urging governments to encourage people to switch₂₁. Some vegetarians are morally opposed to the maltreatment of animals: some avoid meat products as an offensive against the meat industry. But there are problems with vegetarians, too. Some merely want to look good socially; some have accepted pro-vegetarian ideas that are plain wrong and misguided, and, some faddish vegetarian diets are harmful and dangerous. The countries that ate the least meat throughout the 2010s were Burundi, Congo, DR and Bangladesh₆.

In the 2010s, meat consumption per person in Canada was nearly double the global average (of 49kgs per year), putting unnecessary strain on water supplies and the environment.₆

On average throughout the 2010s, Canada's rate was 91.9.

2.7. Green Future Index

#climate_change #energy #sustainability #the_environment

Green Future Index Higher is better1
Pos.		2023 Score1
1	Iceland	6.7
2	Finland	6.7
3	Norway	6.4
	...
12	Belgium	5.8
13	Italy	5.7
14=	Ireland	5.7
14=	Canada	5.7
16	Luxembourg	5.6
17	Greece	5.6
18	Portugal	5.5
19	USA	5.4
	The Americas Avg	4.6
	World Avg	4.8
q=76.

With regard to its score on the Green Future Index, Canada ranks 14th-best in the world (one of the best in The Americas).

The Green Futures Index (GFI) has been running since 2021, and looks at 23 data sets for over 70 countries, with a focus on effectiveness, policy and planning 'for a low carbon future. It is complementary to existing goals and frameworks for sustainable development'. Datasets include qualitative appraisals and quantitative measurements on carbon emissions across multiple sectors, renewable and nuclear energy, recycling capabilities, green technologies used in building and construction, transport, scientific and industrial green innovations and patent quantities, climate action and climate policies. Each country is then ranked by their final score.₂₂.