The results of this study can only be described as profoundly disturbing to Canadians concerned about the environment. The study provides compelling evidence that Canada is a laggard, not a leader, with one of the poorest environmental records in the industrialized world. For the twenty-five environmental indicators examined here, Canada’s overall ranking is 28th out of 29 OECD nations.

Canada is among the three best countries on zero indicators and among the three worst countries on nine indicators. Canada is among the three worst nations in the OECD on a per capita basis when it comes to various forms of air pollution (27th out of 28 on sulphur oxide emissions, 26th out of 27 carbon monoxide emissions and 25th out of 26 on emissions of volatile organic compounds), water consumption (28th of 29), energy consumption (27th out of 29), energy efficiency (28th out of 29), creation of nuclear waste (28th out of 28), greenhouse gas emissions (27th out of 29) and volume of forests logged (27th out of 29). On another six indicators we are the fourth worst in the OECD (per capita nitrogen oxide emissions, hazardous waste, fertilizer consumption, consumption of ozone-depleting substances, kilometres traveled by road and population growth).

Canada’s performance on 22 out of 25 environmental indicators is in the bottom half of the OECD. In contrast, the only three indicators for which Canada is not in the bottom half of the OECD countries are the percentage of the population connected to sewage treatment (9th), the number of endangered species (7th), and the percentage of land protected by parks (13th).

Canada’s performance on most environmental indicators continues to worsen, including: increasing water consumption; increasing energy consumption; increases in nuclear and hazardous waste; higher greenhouse gas emissions; higher numbers of endangered species; declining fish populations; higher commercial fertilizer use; more livestock; more timber logged; more motor vehicles; more kilometres traveled by road; higher population; and less official development assistance.

Another negative finding of this study is that Canada’s economy is inefficient, in that it is both pollution and energy intensive relative to our international competitors. Canada averages 24th out of 27 in air pollution per unit of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and is 28th out of 29 in energy use per unit of GDP.

If there is a silver lining hidden amongst these dismal results, it lies in the fact that Canada’s performance is improving on 10 environmental indicators. Canada has reduced air pollution (lower emissions of sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide and volatile organic compounds), improved sewage treatment, reduced municipal waste, increased recycling, improved energy efficiency, decreased production and release of ozone-depleting substances and increased in areas designated as parks and protected areas.

The reasons for Canada’s dismal performance are not immediately obvious, although possible reasons include:

The Eco-Research Chair of Environmental Law and Policy is now embarking on a comprehensive assessment of Canadian environmental law and policy with the objective of determining the reasons behind our failures and successes in protecting the environment. The Eco-Research Chair’s study of Canadian environmental law and policy is expected to be published in 2002.

Meanwhile, this analysis of environmental indicators will be up-dated every two years, following the bi-annual publication of the OECD’s Environmental Data Compendium.