This Agreement commits both countries to encourage high levels of domestic environmental protection, to foster good environmental governance and to promote transparency and public participation. It also creates a framework for undertaking environmental cooperative activities. Key Elements of the Agreement are: 1) Commitments to ensure high levels of environmental protection and effective enforcement of environmental laws; 2) A non-derogation clause that obligates the countries not to relax their environmental laws in order to encourage trade or investment; 3) A dispute resolution mechanism regarding obligations identified in the Agreement; 4) A commitment to maintain appropriate procedures to conduct environmental impact assessments, and allow for public participation in these procedures; 5) Provisions to ensure that interested persons can request the investigation of alleged violations of environmental laws; 6) A requirement for each country to designate a National Coordinating Officer for the Environment Agreement and establish a Committee on the Environment responsible for development and implementation of cooperative programs and activities; 7) Commitment to develop cooperative programmes and activities, subject to available resources. Expected Results are to facilitate collaboration between Canada and Colombia on environmental priorities, aimed at strengthening environmental protection and to provide effective mechanisms to raise and resolve concerns about the effective enforcement of domestic environmental laws. Section II lays down provisions relating to governance and implementation of the Agreement. “Environment Canada” works with Colombia’s Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development (MADS) to implement the Agreement, in partnership with external experts (including representatives of other government department/agencies, academics, private sector and NGOs) who support collaborative activities. Moreover, the Agreement provides a mechanism to foster capacity-building and collaborative research on issues of importance to Canada and Colombia. Annex I lists priority areas as identified by the Republic of Colombia for consideration in the initial Work Programme including, inter alia: a) environmental risk management; b) integral water management; c) conservation in situ and ex situ of biodiversity; d) sustainable use of natural resources; e) restoration of degraded ecosystems; f) promotion of the production and trade of environmental-friendly goods and services; g) air, soil and water pollution prevention management and control; h) integrated solid waste management; i) integrated chemical contaminants and hazardous wastes management; j) systematizing of environmental information; k) environmental citizenship and education; l) national institutional strengthening, including: i) surveillance programme of living natural resources; ii) information system of living natural resources; iii) information system on the environment; iv) surveillance programme for the monitoring and tracking of genetic resources; and v) monitoring and alert system of genetically modified organisms; m) harmonization and rationalization of the knowledge and information management; n) forests management; and o) use and development of clean technologies. The text consists of 18 articles divided into 3 Sections as follows: Environmental Rights and Obligations (I); Environmental Cooperation (II); Institutional Provisions (III). Two Annexes are enclosed.
Canada, Colombia · 2008-11-21