
Pollution is an environmental issue in Canada, with air, water and soil pollution posing health risks to the population. Canada ranks seventh lowest in the world for pollution, but the burden is still too high, with vulnerable populations—including the poor, women, children, and Indigenous peoples—disproportionately affected. Canadians understand that clean water, air and land contribute to better health, greater enjoyment of life, more productive communities and a stronger economy. Pollution harms human health, damages forests and crops, and degrades the quality of land and water. It also results in higher costs for many things, including medical care, raw materials, food and public services.
Characteristics | Values |
---|---|
Pollution is an environmental issue | Canada ranks 7th lowest in the world for pollution |
Pollution poses health risks | Pollution is cutting short the lives of millions of people every year |
Pollution impacts vulnerable populations disproportionately | Poor, women, children, and Indigenous peoples are disproportionately affected by pollution in Canada |
Pollution has economic costs | Pollution increases costs for medical care, raw materials, food, and public services |
Pollution impacts the environment | Pollution harms forests and crops and degrades the quality of land and water |
Canada's progress on pollution reduction | Canada is expected to meet or exceed its emission reduction commitments for 2020, as per the amended Gothenburg Protocol |
What You'll Learn
Canada's Air Pollutant Emissions Inventory
The APEI is an important tool for understanding and addressing air pollution in Canada. Air pollution is a significant environmental issue in the country, with industrial and vehicular emissions, agriculture, construction, wood burning, and energy production all contributing to poor air quality.
The health risks posed by air pollution are a particular concern for Canadian lawmakers. Vulnerable populations, including the poor, women, children, and Indigenous peoples, are disproportionately affected by pollution in Canada. The costs of pollution are wide-ranging, including higher medical care, raw materials, food, and public services.
Canada has made efforts to reduce its air pollutant emissions, and data from 2019 shows that the country is expected to meet or exceed its emission reduction commitments for 2020, as per the amended Gothenburg Protocol. The APEI plays a crucial role in monitoring and evaluating these efforts, providing a comprehensive overview of pollutant emissions across the country.
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The health risks of pollution
Canada should be involved in tackling pollution because of the health risks it poses to its population. Air, water and soil pollution are prominent points of contention in modern Canadian society. Air pollution in Canada is contributed to by industrial and vehicular emissions, agriculture, construction, wood burning, and energy production.
Pollution is cutting short the lives of millions of people every year. It harms human health, damages forests and crops, and degrades the quality of land and water. It also leads to higher costs for many things, including medical care, raw materials, food and public services. Pollution threatens not only Canadians' current well-being but also the prospects for sustaining that well-being into the future. Vulnerable populations, including the poor, women, children, and Indigenous peoples, are disproportionately affected by pollution in Canada.
While Canada ranks seventh lowest in the world for pollution, the burden is still too high. Many pollutants were not considered in the Commission's work, and the impact of pollution on the health of Canadians is a significant area of concern.
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The costs of pollution
Pollution is an environmental issue in Canada, and it has posed health risks to the population. Canada has industrial and vehicular emissions, agriculture, construction, wood burning, and energy production, all of which contribute to air pollution.
Despite the challenges, there is hope that Canadians, policymakers, and industry leaders can make informed decisions about pollution to balance the trade-off between the costs of pollution and the benefits of the activities that create it. Canada is expected to meet or exceed its emission reduction commitments for 2020, as per the amended Gothenburg Protocol. This is a positive step towards reducing the costs of pollution and improving the health and well-being of Canadians.
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The impact of pollution on vulnerable populations
Canada is an active participant in the global effort to reduce pollution and its impact on vulnerable populations. While the country ranks seventh lowest in the world for pollution, the burden is still too high, and vulnerable populations, including the poor, women, children, and Indigenous peoples, are disproportionately affected by pollution in Canada.
Pollution in Canada is an environmental issue that poses health risks to its population and is an area of concern for lawmakers. Air, water, and soil pollution, as well as their associated health effects, are prominent points of contention in modern Canadian society. Industrial and vehicular emissions, agriculture, construction, wood burning, and energy production all contribute to air pollution in the country.
The costs of pollution are significant. Pollution harms human health, damages forests and crops, and degrades the quality of land and water. This results in higher costs for medical care, raw materials, food, and public services. Pollution not only threatens Canadians' current well-being but also the prospects for sustaining that well-being into the future.
Canada has recognised the linkages between the environment and human rights and is a signatory to multilateral environmental agreements. The country is also taking steps to improve the data available on the costs of pollution to better equip Canadians, policymakers, and industry leaders to understand and make decisions about pollution.
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Canada's multilateral environmental agreements
Canada should be involved in tackling pollution because it is an environmental issue that poses health risks to the Canadian population. Air, water and soil pollution, as well as the associated health effects, are prominent points of contention in modern Canadian society. Pollution harms human health, damages forests and crops, and degrades the quality of land and water. It also threatens the current well-being of Canadians and the prospects for sustaining that well-being into the future.
Canada is a signatory to multilateral environmental agreements that recognise the many linkages between the environment and human rights. Canada ranks seventh lowest in the world for pollution, but the burden is still too high, and vulnerable populations—including the poor, women, children, and Indigenous peoples—are disproportionately affected by pollution in Canada.
Canada has made efforts to address pollution, such as through the amended Gothenburg Protocol, which sets emission reduction commitments for 2020. The International Institute for Sustainable Development has also reviewed and synthesised existing studies on the costs of pollution to improve the data available to Canadians and help them make decisions about pollution.
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Frequently asked questions
Pollution is an environmental issue in Canada that poses health risks to the population. Canadians understand that clean water, air and land contribute to better health, greater enjoyment of life, more productive communities and a stronger economy.
Pollution harms human health, damages forests and crops, and degrades the quality of land and water. It also disproportionately affects vulnerable populations, including the poor, women, children, and Indigenous peoples.
Pollution leads to higher costs for medical care, raw materials, food and public services. It also threatens Canadians' current well-being and the prospects for sustaining that well-being in the future.
Air pollution in Canada is contributed by industrial and vehicular emissions, agriculture, construction, wood burning, and energy production.
Canada is expected to meet or exceed its emission reduction commitments for 2020, as per the amended Gothenburg Protocol. Additionally, the International Institute for Sustainable Development has reviewed and synthesized existing studies on the costs of pollution to better equip Canadians, policymakers and industry leaders to make decisions about pollution.