Sustainable Development and Canada: National and International Perspectives

Canada is one of the most beautiful, varied, and inspiring natural environments on earth. Few countries contain such topographical differences as the West Coast, the mountain regions, the prairies, the Arctic, the cityscapes close to the American border, and the eastern forests. The Canadian territory is the second largest in the world, and it borders on three oceans--its fourth border is with the United States, the most powerful economy in the world. This provides Canadians unique access to a large market, but also raises many problems related not only to political and cultural influence, but to transborder pollution. This book investigates the complexities of Canadian environmental policy. The text is split into three sections: the political context in which decisions are made; issue areas in need of engagement; and perspectives on the achievement of sustainable development, which colour the Canadian conceptual landscape. The first section outlines the state of the Canadian environment, the actors and institutions involved in environmental policy formation (and a detailed history of Environment Canada), and the international context of modern decision-making. The second section is issue-specific, including chapters on environmental law, risk management and environmental impact assessment, international treaties and conventions involving Canada, and an overall assessment of Canadian policy. The final section deals with values and theories, from gender issues to environmental ethics. The book serves as a comprehensive introduction that makes explicit recognition of the transnational character of environmental policy formation in the era of globalization, and offers critical insights into the decision-making process.

Table of Contents:
Preface PART ONE: STRUCTURE Environmental Politics and Policy The State of Canada's Environment The Canadian Political System and the Environment Actors: From Parties to Protests The Transnational Context PART TWO: POLICY Environmental Laws and Regulation Environmental Risk Assessment and Management International Commitments Canada's Sustainable Development Strategies PART THREE: ETHICS & VALUES Gender, Resources and the Environment Sustainable Development, Human Security, and Civil Society Environmental Values and Ethics Conclusion; Towards Sustainable Individual and Governmental Responsibility References Index

About the Author :
O.P. Dwivedi is University Professor Emeritus at the University of Guelph. He was bestowed with the Order of Canada in 2005, Canada's highest civilian honour, and has published widely on bureaucratic management as well as the environment, including co-editing Administrative Culture in a Global Context (de Sitter, 2005) and Sustainable Development in Canada: National and International Perspectives (Broadview Press, 2001). Patrick Kyba is a Professor of Political Science at the University of Guelph. His books include Covenants Without the Sword and Alvin: A Biography of the Honourable Alvin Hamilton. Peter J. Stoett is Dean of the Faculty of Social Science and Humanities at the University of Ontario Institute Of Technology. Rebecca Tiessen is an associate professor in the School of International Development and Global Studies at the University of Ottawa.

Review :
This book investigates the complexities of Canadian environmental policy.