Protected land as percentage of total land area: 12% (5% partially protected)

CO₂ emissions trend: 18.6 tonnes per capita

ENVIRONMENTAL TREATIES

		Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) Washington DC, 1973		yes
		Convention on Biological Diversity Earth Summit in Rio, 1992		yes
		1992 Amendment to protocol on substances that deplete the ozone layer (amendment to Montreal Protocol) Copenhagen, 1992		yes
		Kyoto Convention on reduction of greenhouse gas emissions Earth Summit in Kyoto, 1997		yes
		Basel convention on the dumping of hazardous wastes (Basel) Basel, 1989		yes
		Convention on Wetlands of International Importance (Ramsar) Ramsar, Iran 1971		yes

With a population of only 31.5 million living in the world's second-largest country, Canada is justly renowned for vast tracts of wilderness untroubled by pollution either from industry or from intensive farming methods. A major conservation issue is the battle to stop the logging of virgin forest in northern Ontario and on the west coast. Notable successes were achieved in the late 1990s, pressuring timber companies to adopt more sustainable policies, and a landmark agreement in early 2001 promised protection for British Columbia's coastal Great Bear Rainforest.

Canadians have tighter pollution controls than the neighboring US. Ontario, the most polluted province, has imposed stricter limits on oil refineries and (from 2001) on electricity-generating plants. Carbon dioxide emissions (mainly from cars) are among the highest in the world per capita. Canada has accepted a target of a 6% cut by 2010. Production of hazardous waste is also higher than the European average.

From "The Financial Times World Desk Reference" © Dorling Kindersley 2004