Sustainable Development
Sustainable Development Strategy, 1997-2001
Safeguarding our Assets, Securing our Future
Executive Summary
Natural resources epitomize the very essence of sustainable development. Few sectors have more
direct impact on the natural environment. Yet few are more integral to the economic and
social well-being of every region in Canada.
Sustainable development - the integration of environmental, economic and social
considerations - necessarily means reconciling sometimes competing interests when deciding
whether and how development should proceed. It requires that we factor in social concerns
such as health, equity and community sustainability when making environmental and economic
decisions.
In a country as resource dependent as Canada, this is a major challenge. Resource
development is crucial to the Canadian economy, generating $95 billion or nearly 14 per
cent of Gross Domestic Product and 38 per cent of this country's exports. The energy,
mining and forestry sectors employ 0.75 million people across the country. Natural
resources provide the essential raw materials for products used by all segments of
society, from the lumber to build our houses and metals to manufacture machinery, to the
oil and natural gas to heat our schools and offices.
Canada's natural resources are equally important environmental assets. They are
essential to the air we breathe, the water we drink and the food we eat. Ecosystem health
is pivotal to the life support systems of the planet.
Canada accounts for almost 10 per cent of the world's fresh water, 10 per cent of its
forests and an estimated 300,000 species of wildlife. Our wilderness lands provide
recreational areas for all Canadians and international visitors.
The issue confronting Canadians is how to continue to develop our resources for the
benefit of both present and future generations. Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) sees
sustainable development as the key to protecting the health of the natural environment and
landmass, while efficiently meeting human needs for energy, forest and mineral-based
products, and providing similar opportunities for future generations.
The federal role in natural resources complements the work of the provinces, which own
and control much of Canada's land and resources. NRCan is mandated to promote sustainable
development in all areas of its jurisdiction including: international and interprovincial
trade; science and technology; federal regulatory duties; Aboriginal issues; federal Crown
lands and offshore; environment; national statistics; and, public health and safety in
areas including nuclear energy, explosives and natural hazards.
The Department has shifted away from financing resource megaprojects to funding
research and facilitating partnerships that result in action on sustainable development.
Its role is to advance scientific knowledge, develop and transfer technology, and
formulate policies that foster sustainable development. NRCan promotes the research,
development and use of clean and energy-efficient technologies, renewable energy, the
sustainable management of mineral, energy and forest resources, and the protection of
biological diversity. The Department is also building a national knowledge infrastructure
on Canada's land and resources that will provide Canadians with ready access to economic,
environmental and scientific information from a wide variety of national and international
sources.
Following consultations with other federal government departments, provincial
governments, utilities, industry and environmental organizations, NRCan has prepared this
Sustainable Development Strategy to guide departmental activities over the coming three
years.
This document provides:
- a summary of the key issues surrounding the sustainable development of natural resources;
- a framework of goals and objectives; and,
- an action plan for the next three years.
The paper provides a view of sustainable development which recognizes Canada will
continue to use and develop its resources, in a way that protects the health of the
natural environment and landmass, and ensures a legacy for future generations.
NRCan endorses a series of principles to guide its work, including a commitment to:
integrate social, economic and environmental considerations into its decisions; rely on
sound science as the basis for decision-making; protect the health of the environment by
maximizing the efficient use of resources and reducing adverse impacts on the environment;
and, consult with Canadians and work in productive partnerships to achieve sustainable
development.
This strategy identifies four key areas where NRCan will focus its activities:
Making Better Decisions - Enabling Canadians to make balanced decisions
regarding natural resources by: creating easily accessible and integrated knowledge on the
state and use of Canada's landmass and natural resources, and the economic, environmental,
and social dimensions of their use; promoting greater national and international
cooperation and consensus on sustainable development issues and actions; and, developing
and promoting the fiscal, regulatory and voluntary approaches that encourage the
sustainable development of natural resources.
Enhancing Long-term Social and Economic Benefits - Sustaining the economic
and social benefits from natural resources for present and future generations by creating
economic opportunities and encouraging investment in innovative and higher-value uses of
natural resources; maintaining and expanding access to international markets for Canadian
resource-based products, knowledge, technologies and services; and, building the capacity
of Aboriginal, rural and northern communities to generate sustainable economic activity
based on natural resources.
Maintaining a Healthy and Safe Environment - Minimizing the impacts of
natural resource development and use on the environment and the safety of Canadians by:
helping them limit and adapt to climate change; promoting technologies and stewardship
practices that reduce environmental impacts, conserve biodiversity and increase the
efficiency of resource development and use; and, safeguarding Canadians from natural
hazards and the risks associated with natural resource development and use.
Putting our House in Order - Establishing NRCan as a leader in the federal
government in managing its operations in line with the principles of sustainable
development by using leading-edge environmental management tools and practices for NRCan
operations; reducing wastes from NRCan operations; increasing the efficiency of energy and
other resource use within NRCan operations; and, promoting the use of goods and services
that are eco-efficient.
Sustainable development is a work in progress. Priorities will need to be constantly
updated and adapted to reflect new knowledge, technology, information and ideas.
No single party can take on the sustainable development challenge alone. This strategy
will only succeed with the active participation and support of all Canadians. Each of us
must assume some of the responsibility for making sustainable development a part of our
daily practice.
Ultimately, sustainable development will result from our individual and collective
efforts to find solutions to resource development challenges that are good for the
environment, good for the economy and good for our communities.
| Setting the Stage | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Issues | What is Sustainable Development | NRCan's Role | Principles |
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The sustainable The sustainable development of natural resources requires that Canada:
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NRCan will NRCan provides service to Canadians in four principal areas:
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| Goals | Objectives | Action Highlights |
|---|---|---|
|
1 Enabling Canadians to make balanced decisions regarding natural resources. |
1.1 Creating easily accessible and integrated knowledge on the state of Canada's landmass and natural resources, and the economic, environmental, and social dimensions of their use. 1.2 Promoting greater national and international cooperation and consensus on 1.3 Developing and promoting fiscal, regulatory and voluntary |
|
|
2 Sustaining |
2.1 Creating economic opportunities and encouraging investment in innovative and higher-value uses of natural resources. 2.2 Maintaining and expanding access to international 2.3 Building the capacity of Aboriginal, rural and northern communities |
|
|
3 Minimizing |
3.1 Helping limit and adapt to climate change. 3.2 Promoting technologies and stewardship 3.3 Safeguarding Canadians from natural hazards and the risks |
|
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4 Establishing |
4.1 Using leading-edge environmental management tools and practices for NRCan operations. 4.2 Reducing wastes from NRCan operations. 4.3 Increasing the efficiency of energy and other resource use in NRCan 4.4 Promoting the use of goods and services that are eco-efficient. |
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