Canada and the Environment

Canada ranks 11st-best in the world when it comes to its responsibility towards the environment. This rank is calculated from 7 data sets. Canada does the best in how quickly it ratified the 1993 Convention on Biological Diversity. It comes in the best 20 when it comes to its score on the Green Future Index₁ (one of the best in The Americas). It does better than average in its environmental performance₂ (the highest in The Americas) and in the rate of rational beliefs on the environment in the population₃ (but one of 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 1971₄. But, there's bad news too. Canada does worse than average when it comes to energy to GDP efficiency₅ (amongst the worst in The Americas), its forested percent change 2000-2020₆ and in reducing annual meat consumption per person₇. 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 (2023)10
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank10
1	Uruguay	48.0
2	Peru	48.2
3	Costa Rica	49.6
4	Ecuador	52.0
5	Mexico	53.2
6	Canada	53.4
7	Venezuela	58.0
8=	Colombia	58.8
9	Paraguay	61.0
10	Cuba	64.7
11	Belize	65.3
12	Brazil	66.8
13	El Salvador	71.8
	The Americas Avg	80.1
q=35.

Responsibility Towards The Environment (2023)10
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank10
1	Japan	33.2
2	Philippines	45.0
3	Uruguay	48.0
	...
8	Italy	51.8
9	Ecuador	52.0
10	Mexico	53.2
11	Canada	53.4
12	Maldives	55.0
13	Seychelles	55.3
14	Germany	55.8
15=	Sweden	56.0
	World Avg	85.7
q=188.

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 better6
Pos.		Total6
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 ranks 139th in the world with regard to 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% )₆. 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% )₆.

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 #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 is positioned 25th in the world in terms of its environmental performance (the highest in The Americas).

2.3. Energy to GDP Efficiency

#the_environment

Energy to GDP Efficiency Higher is better5
Pos.		20145
1	Hong Kong	26.32
2	Sri Lanka	20.00
3	Panama	17.86
	...
94=	Belarus	05.81
94=	Niger	05.81
96	Zambia	05.71
97	Canada	05.56
98	China	05.52
99	Nepal	05.35
100	Iran	05.32
101	Kenya	05.24
	The Americas Avg	10.78
	World Avg	09.29
q=119.

Canada is 97th in the world in terms of energy to GDP efficiency (amongst the worst in The Americas).

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.

Canada comes best in the world in terms of how quickly it ratified the 1993 Convention on Biological Diversity.

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.

Amongst the lowest in The Americas when it comes to the rate of rational beliefs on the environment in the population, Canada is positioned 65th in the world.

2.6. Meat Consumption

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

Meat Consumption Lower is better7
Pos.		2021 kg7
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 in terms of reducing annual meat consumption per person.

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 Bangladesh₇.

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.₇

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.

Amongst the best in The Americas with regard to its score on the Green Future Index, Canada comes 14th-best in the world.

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.