Role of Federalism in Combating Environmental Challenges in Canada

Canadian Environmental Law and Policy
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Canadian Environmental Law and Policy
Federalism has been the most important institution for understanding environmental policymaking in Canada. One of the world’s largest countries, Canada, is rich in natural resources, including rivers, lakes, and a wide range of ecosystems. Yet, the country faces environmental concerns like pollution and climate change, which affect endangered species, human health, and the ecosystem. The extent to which these problems have emerged in Canada has raised concerns over the role of federalism in protecting the environment. Arguers claim that federalism has played a significant role in implementing policies aimed to prevent or minimize environmental challenges, while others contend that federalism has done a little job in protecting the Canadian ecosystem. This essay examines the main environmental challenges in Canada, including climate change, air pollution, and endangered species, and the role of federalism in combating these problems.
Federalism has played both positive and negative roles in solving the environmental problems in Canada. For instance, on a positive front, the federal government passed the Federal Sustainable Development Act (FSDA) of 2008 that has helped the government to track various environmental indicators like greenhouse gas emissions, air quality indicators, a weather warning index, measurement of freshwater quality in rivers, and the measurements of the ecological integrity of Canada’s national parks and major fish stocks (Olive, 2019). By tracking these indicators, federalism addresses the environmental challenges that threaten the country.
One specific environmental challenge that federalism has played a key role in addressing is air pollution. Canada is vulnerable to greenhouse gas emissions like carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and ozone due to the increased burning of fossil fuels and other human activities in the region (Olive, 2019). Experts have also reported a high concentration of sulfur dioxide. These gases pollute the air, affecting human life and wildlife (Lecture 9, Part 1). To combat air pollution in the region, federalism has implemented the Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA) that regulates toxic chemicals such as ozone and sulfur dioxide, which cause air pollution (Olive, 2019, p. 28). Most importantly, federalism has introduced carbon pricing to encourage industries to invest in cleaner technologies (Lecture 7, Part 2, 51).
When it comes to endangered species, federalism has played a negative role in protecting species at risk of extinction. According to Olive (2019), policy for endangered species is the best example of the challenges posed by federalism to environmenta...