Canada-China framework on environmental cooperation
Official title: Canada-China Framework Statement for Cooperation on Environment into the 21st Century
- Subject category:
- Environmental Cooperation
- Type of agreement / instrument:
- Bilateral
- Form:
- Cooperative Framework
- Status:
- Signed on November 19, 1998
- Lead & partner departments:
-
- Lead:
- Environment and Climate Change Canada, Ministry of Environmental Protection of the People’s Republic of China (formerly the State Environmental Protection Administration of China)
- Partners:
- Global Affairs Canada, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China Other Canadian and Chinese Departments
- For further information:
- Compendium edition:
- February 2017
- Reference #:
- B-EC-9/EN
Objective
The Framework Statement commits Canada and China to enhanced cooperation on environmental and sustainable development issues.
Key elements
The Framework provides an umbrella for cooperation on the environment, particularly climate change and sustainable development.
The Canada-China Joint Committee on Environmental Cooperation (JCEC) was created under the Framework. Over its history, the JCEC has focused on a broad spectrum of environmental issues including pollution prevention, sustainable cities, mercury emissions, environmental emergencies, hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), biodiversity and water issues.
Follow-up to the JCEC is carried out under the Environment and Climate Change Canada-Ministry of Environmental Protection Memorandum of Understanding on Environmental Cooperation.
Expected results
Sharing of best practices and expertise to improve the protection of the environment in both countries.
Canada’s involvement
Environment and Climate Change Canada has a longstanding and successful history of cooperation with China dating back to mid-1980s on environment issues of mutual interest.
The Department has collaborated with China on a number of issues relating to environmental protection, meteorology and environmental predictions, and climate change.
Engagement with China is a key component of Environment and Climate Change Canada’s mandate to protect and enhance the quality of Canada’s natural environment as environmental issues know no political boundaries.
Results / progress
Activities
The JCEC held its inaugural meeting March 20-21, 2000 and has met nine times since then.
The 9th meeting of the JCEC took place in Hangzhou, China in June 2015 and provided an opportunity to exchange information on environmental priorities in both countries, to review the outcomes of the 2013-2015 Bilateral Work Plan on chemicals management, water management and environmental emergencies, and to negotiate the Bilateral Work Plan for 2015-2017.
The focus of the cooperation for 2015-2017 has included information exchange and joint projects that are implemented by Canadian and Chinese governmental officials, in collaboration with the private sector, academia and sub-national governments as appropriate on water and chemicals management, environmental emergency responses, air pollution control, including hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) and black carbon, as well as environmental improvement in rural areas.
The next meeting of the JCEC is expected to take place in early 2018, and will be immediately followed by a water workshop held in partnership with the University of Waterloo Water Institute and the Chinese Research Academic of Environmental Science (CRAES).
The MOU will be renewed in 2017.
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