Canada and the Environment

Canada [Country Profile Page]
Status	Independent State
Social and Moral Index	16th best
Capital	Ottawa
Land Area	9 093 510km21
Location	North America, The Americas
Population	37.1m2
Life Expectancy	82.66yrs (2017)3
GNI	$46 808 (2017)4
ISO3166-1 Codes	CA, CAN, 1245
Internet Domain	.ca6
Currency	Dollar (CAD)7
Telephone	+18

Canada is positioned 113th in the world in terms of its responsibility towards the environment. This rank is computed using 21 data sets. Canada does the second-best for its sign-up rate to major international accords on protecting the environment. It comes in the best 20 in its score on the Green Future Index₉ (amongst the highest in The Americas). It does better than average in its environmental performance₁₀ (the highest in The Americas) and in the rate of rational beliefs on the environment in the population₁₁ (but amongst the lowest in The Americas). Canada got off to an early start in its efforts, when the environmentalist lobby group Greenpeace was founded in Vancouver in 1971₁₂. Canada still has work to do. Canada does worse than average in terms of its forested percent change 2000-2020₁₃ and in reducing annual meat consumption per person₁₄. And finally, it falls into the worst 20 in terms of energy to GDP efficiency₁₅ (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 industry₁₆. In 2021, things got worse, not better, when party members voted not to recognize the climate crisis as real₁₇.

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. International Accords on the Environment
   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)18
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank18
1	Uruguay	43.2
2	Puerto Rico	47.1
3	Costa Rica	49.7
	...
18	Panama	82.5
19	Honduras	84.6
20	Venezuela	86.1
21	Canada	87.2
22	Guyana	87.4
23	Jamaica	88.6
24	Paraguay	91.0
25	Belize	91.3
26	St Vincent & Grenadines	92.0
	The Americas Avg	92.66
q=36.

Responsibility Towards The Environment (2025)18
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank18
1	Sri Lanka	34.9
2	Uruguay	43.2
3	Switzerland	45.0
	...
110	Venezuela	86.1
111	Taiwan	86.1
112	Macedonia	86.9
113	Canada	87.2
114	Guyana	87.4
115	Gabon	87.9
116	Croatia	88.5
117	Jamaica	88.6
	World Avg	84.93
q=199.

All countries' current and historical approach towards the environment is gauged via 21 datasets, including multiple decades of data on its forested percent change 2000-2020, its environmental performance, energy to GDP efficiency, its sign-up rate to major international accords on protecting the environment, the rate of rational beliefs on the environment in the population, reducing annual meat consumption per person and its score on the Green Future Index.

The countries that do the best (Sri Lanka, Uruguay and Switzerland) tend to have avoided the excesses of early industrial countries, and have not yet repeated the same mistakes of environmental destruction - at least, not on the same scale. The regions with the best average results per country are Central America, South America and Scandinavia. The worst are Eritrea, The Vatican City and Timor-Leste (E. Timor), and the worst regions Micronesia, Australasia and Melanesia.

For more, see:

• " Countries With the Best Environmental Records" by Vexen Crabtree (2025).

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 better13
Pos.		Total13
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 positioned 139th in the world when it comes to its forested percent change 2000-2020.

Forests are carbon sinks, mitigating against climate change_19,20. Unfortunately, we are destroying over 70,000 km² of forest each year₂₁. In the last few thousand years, we've removed 30-40% of the Earth's forest cover_22,20, mostly to clear space for agriculture, and for logging_23,24. 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_25,23. It brings soil erosion from wind and rain which, over time, can almost-permanently stop any hope of growing food₂₆, and spreads desertification. Entire ecosystems are collapsing as a result, including ones that we depend upon₂₇. 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.₂₈.

Some regions of the world are increasing their forest cover₂₀; the best from 2000-2020 are Scandinavia (13.8% ), The Balkans (11.0% ) and Baltic States (7.6% )₁₃. 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% )₁₃.

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 better10
Pos.		201810
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.

In terms of its environmental performance, Canada comes 25th in the world (the best 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 better15
Pos.		2022 Avg15
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.

Canada is 10th-worst in the world when it comes to energy to GDP efficiency (one of the highest in The Americas).

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. International Accords on the Environment

#environmentalism #internationalism

International Accords on the Environment Higher is better
Pos.		Total Avg Rate
1	Sweden	83%
2	Canada	82%
3	Norway	81%
4	Latvia	81%
5	Estonia	80%
6	Ukraine	80%
7	Finland	79%
8	Georgia	79%
9	Switzerland	78%
10	Nigeria	78%
11	Germany	76%
12	Belarus	76%
	The Americas Avg	60.7%
	World Avg	57.5%
q=197.

In terms of its sign-up rate to major international accords on protecting the environment, Canada comes 2nd-best in the world, after Sweden.

Each country is scored using a formula that takes the date each country took up major international environmental agreements, as a ratio of maximum possible days. The agreements covered are: (1) the Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal, (2) the Rotterdam Convention on the Prior Informed Consent Procedure for certain hazardous Chemicals and Pesticides, (3) the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants, (4) the Waigani Convention (for those countries that are eligible), (5) the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), (6) the Kyoto Protocol and (7) its successor, the Paris Agreement, (8) the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), (9) the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer and finally, (10) the Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer.

For more, see:

• " Countries With the Best Environmental Records" by Vexen Crabtree (2025).

Canada has quickly enacted many international accords on the environment in their first year, ahead of most other countries, including the Basel Convention on waste, the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), the Vienna Convention on the ozone layer in 1986 (one of just 8 countries who ratified it so quickly) and the Montreal Protocol on protecting the ozone layer in 1988. It also signed the Convention on Biological Diversity on its first day in 1993 and was first to enact the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (in 2001).

But Canada done serious damage to its reputation when in 2011 it became the only country to (ever) announce its withdraw from the Kyoto agreement; this was because it wasn't meeting its emission reduction targets and didn't want to face potential penalties whilst the USA avoided the Protocol altogether.

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

International Accords on the Environment	1970s  Average	1980s  Average	1990s  Average	2000s  Average	2010s  Average
Canada:	47%	95%	70%	93%	88%
World Rank:	1st	⇣  2nd	⇣  8th	⇡  7th	⇣  153rd
World Avg:	8.5%	23.3%	45.0%	74.4%	90.7%

2.5. Rational Beliefs on the Environment

Rational Beliefs on the Environment Higher is better11
Pos.		2011 %11
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 in terms of the rate of rational beliefs on the environment in the population (amongst the worst in The Americas).

2.6. Meat Consumption

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

Meat Consumption Lower is better14
Pos.		2021 kg14
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.

Canada ranks 162nd in the world with regard to reducing annual meat consumption per person.

There are five key arguments in favour of vegetarianism which accrue even from partial adoption: (1) Vegetarian diets have notable health advantages over carnivorous diets, especially for heart and cardiovascular issues_29,30,31. (2) It is morally better to avoid killing or harming animals. (3) Plant-based diets use much less water than carnivorous ones, to the extent that agricultural and water management scientists urge governments to encourage people to switch₃₂. (4) Vegetarian food production uses substantially less land_29,33,34. And, (5) vegetarianism is better for the environment than meat-production for emissions, sewerage, pollution and chemicals usage._29,33. A plant-based diet causes 75% less greenhouse gas emissions than a typical carnivorous diet₃₄. The global food industry causes about 1/3 of all planet-heating emissions, and so "to slow the worst climate effects, the United Nations has called for a drastic reduction in meat consumption"₃₄. Despite this, "reducing appetites for carbon-intensive meat and dairy is incredibly hard"₃₅ and as countries get richer, they tend to eat more meat.

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.₁₄

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 better9
Pos.		2023 Score9
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.

One of the highest in The Americas Canada is positioned 14th-best in the world regarding its score on the Green Future Index.

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.₃₆.