Trans-Border Pollution

Term Paper # 101949

Canadian Studies > Government and Government Policy
Environmental Studies > Air Pollution
Environmental Studies > Economics and Policy

This paper examines the policies of Canada and the United States vis-a-vis trans-border air pollution.

1,730 words () | 8 sources | APA | 2008 United States

Paper Summary:

The paper looks at the 1991 Air Quality Agreement between the two nations and the 2000 Ozone Annex. The paper briefly discusses some of the key measures implemented and to what extent each country is guilty of reneging on its environmental commitments. The paper concludes that both nations are pushing ahead, but shows how the pace of change could and should be increased.

From the Paper:

"To start with, both Canada and the United States have worked cooperatively to reduce trans-border or trans-boundary pollution. To wit, as early as 1991 the two countries signed an agreement - the Canada-US Air Quality Agreement - wherein each pledged to reduce trans-boundary air pollution contributing to acid rain. Specifically, both nations agreed to implement measures reducing emissions of sulphur dioxide as well as nitrogen oxides. Both nations agreed to work together as well to develop the scientific and technical tools necessary for eliminating (or at least greatly reducing) acid rain levels in North America (Environment Canada, 2006). A little more than 9 years later, in December of 2000, the two countries also came together and signed an Ozone Annex that established benchmarks for reducing the "trans-boundary flow" of sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxides, as well as reducing the flow and production of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and nitrogen oxides (Environment Canada, 2006). Understandably, both of these measures deserve to be looked at more closely insofar as they appear to constitute the foundations of both countries' approach to trans-boundary air pollution."

Sample of Sources Used:

Barth, Frank. (2004). Coal-fired power production. Western Clean Energy Campaign. Retrieved February 28, 2007 from <http://www.ef.org/documents/CoalFiredPowerProduction.pdf>
Bhatia, Juhie. (2002). Only the US is less green. Alternatives Journal, 28(2): 2+. Retrieved February 28, 2007 from Questia database <http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=5000732245>
Environment Canada. (2005). Canada-US Air Quality Agreement. Clean Air Online. Retrieved February 28, 2007 from <http://www.ec.gc.ca/cleanair-airpur/default.asp?lang=En&n=1E841873-1#o>
Environment Canada. (2002). Protocol between the government of Canada and the government of the United States of America. Clean Air: Amending the Agreement on Air Quality. Retrieved February 28, 2007 from <http://www.ec.gc.ca/cleanair-airpur/CAOL/air/can_usa_e.html>
Environment Canada. (2006). Trans-boundary air. Canada-US transboundary Air Issues. Retrieved February 28, 2007 from <http://www.ec.gc.ca/cleanair-airpur/Transboundary_Air-WS587B56F8-1_En.htm>