Nagoya + Assessment of Québec's actions to protect biodiversity and recommendations
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Nagoya + Assessment of Québec’s actions to protect biodiversity and recommendations
EXECUTIVE OVERVIEW
Key findings
According to our analysis, if current trends continue, none of the Aichi targets assessed in the
framework of this report will be reached in Quebec. Essentially, the progress made in Quebec is
insufficient to meet the objectives of 2020. We have observed that, among other things:
Quebecers are unfamiliar with the value of biodiversity.
Efforts made for the responsible management of the natural resources (forest, mining and
fishery) must be completed.
The loss of natural environments goes on.
The system of protected areas increases at an insufficient rate and is not adequately
representative of Quebec’s biodiversity. The lack of marine protection is even more blatant.
Measures to protect threatened and vulnerable species are inadequate.
The efforts necessary to restore the natural environments are virtually non-existent.
The consideration of natural environments in carbon sequestration is beginning to be
recognized.
Good governance tools are missing.
Financial resources are decreasing and insufficient.
Quebec can and must go the extra mile
While Quebec has been able to demonstrate its leadership in fighting and adapting to climate
change, biodiversity seems to be the least of the political worries. It is high time to reverse this
trend so as to, at least minimally, meet Aichi targets.
The way Plan Nord is implemented – which applies to two-thirds of Quebec’s territory and also
shelters some of the last untouched environments on the planet – remains to be determined. In
order to preserve the ecologic integrity of northern Quebec, the province has just one option to do
things right: protect areas of ecological interest first. In this way, Quebec must launch
environmental planning exercises in order to identify the uppermost 50% of the territory that will
be sheltered from industrial activities.
On the rest of the territory concerned by Plan Nord, exemplary practices of sustainable
development must be implemented; specifically ecosystem-based forest development, responsible
development of mineral resources and mine reclamation, and integrated planning of linear
structures. These developments will have to be structured under a sustainable land development
approach so that the ecological integrity of the northern ecosystems is maintained.
Conservation efforts will have to increase significantly in the south of the 49th parallel, precisely
where pressure on the biodiversity is the highest. The widening of the system of protected areas
in order to reach 17% of protected areas in each natural region by 2020, the efficient protection of
threatened species habitats, and the rehabilitation of damaged environments are a few of many
measures to take if we intend to improve the status of our precious biodiversity and maintain
ecological services for future generations.
Regarding the marine environments, it is crucial that Quebec reaches a prompt agreement with
the federal government on a common framework policy. Planning a system of protected marine
areas, including marine reserves for 30% of Gulf of St. Lawrence’s surface area, setting up
protective measures for the white whale and the other threatened species, along with sustainably
managing the fishery resources are priorities.
Conditions for success
If Quebec expects to meet Aichi targets, all the players will have to put their shoulder to the wheel,
starting with the government stakeholders.
Enormous progress has to be made in terms of collaboration at the interdepartmental level.
Departments in charge of the natural resource development must contribute fully to the
achievement of Aichi targets assumed by Quebec.
The disappearance of the regional conferences of representatives (CRÉ) presents a
challenge that needs to be resolved in order to facilitate regional discussion.
Consultation bodies must also be established so that environmentally-minded
organisations, local communities and individual citizens can participate in the work
transparently.
Finally, planning tools – like a national plan on biodiversity – and follow-up mechanisms
and assessment techniques must be developed rapidly.Highlights Highlights
Aichi Target Rating
- +
Target 1 Lack of education
Educational activities
programs related to the
proposed by SÉPAQ
environment in the
Web software created
school curriculum of
by the MDDELCC and
Quebec
the MERN
Low interest in the
By 2020, at the latest, « Wildlife and you »
environment among
people are aware of the and other MFFP
young people, medias,
values of biodiversity awareness programs
3/5 and during parliamentary
and the steps they can debates Free admission in
national parks for
take to conserve and use Drop in numbers of
people under 17
it sustainably. visitors to Quebec
years old
national parks
Forest Implementation of
Resources the ecosystem-based
FSC certified area in
development
Quebec decreased
90% of Quebec’s
Lack of measurable
Target 4 forest territory is
targets in the new SFMS
certified
Adjournment of the entry
Existing northern
3/5 into force of the SFMR.
limit to commercial
forestry
Lack of cost-benefit
By 2020, at the latest, Mining
analysis of the mining
Governments, business Resources
industry
and stakeholders at all Primacy of mining rights
In 2014, Mining Act is
levels have taken steps to persists
amended
achieve or have Inadequate
implemented plans for environmental regulation
sustainable production 2/5 Pending decisions related
to uranium industry and
and consumption and
open pit mines
have kept the impacts of
use of natural resources Fishery Interdepartmental
well within safe resources collaboration in the
Lack of improvement of framework of the St.
ecological limits. the health status of fish Lawrence Action Plan
communities in the St. 52% of the products
Lawrence disembarked in
Quebec are MSC
2/5 certifiedTarget 5 Pristine forest-based
landscapes loss
Wetlands loss
Increase of the logging
roads
By 2020, the rate of loss Wetlands Act is reported
of all natural habitats, Lack of national policy
including forests, is at regarding land use
least halved and where planning
1/5 Lack of SEA on the opening
feasible brought close to
of the Plan Nord territory
zero, and degradation
Lack of national framework
and fragmentation is for logging roads
significantly reduced. management
Presently 9,16% of
protected areas
Target 11 2015 interim target of 12%
missed
Blocked regional proposals
New announcements in
Terrestrial Many ecosystems are
2015
under-represented
Regulatory framework
By 2020, at least 17 per Predominant projected
meeting UICN’s criteria
cent of terrestrial and status in the PAs system
Existing planning tools
inland water, and 10 per Insufficient follow-up of
(RAC) and follow-up
the ecological integrity
cent of coastal and techniques (register of
3/5 Undefined mechanism for
marine areas, especially protected areas)
implementing the Plan
areas of particular Nord environmental
importance for commitments
biodiversity and Lack of action plan 2016-
ecosystem services, are 2020
conserved through
effectively and equitably
managed, ecologically
representative and well
Presently 1,35% of marine
connected systems of Marine protected areas
protected areas and
Target of 10% of MPAs
other effective area- expected for 2015 is 2 MPA projects are
based conservation reported to 2020 mentioned in the
measures, and integrated Inadequate regulation in Maritime Strategy
into the wider the MPAs
2/5 Lack of progress to protect
landscapes and
seascapes. the white whale’s critical
habitat Increased number of
species that are likely to be
Target 12 designated threatened or
vulnerable
Limited regulatory
obligations in the
framework of the LEMV
By 2020 the extinction of Lack of objective in the Existing Act respecting
known threatened LEMV threatened or vulnerable
species has been Lack of recovery team, species
prevented and their situation report, and
1/5 recovery plans for some
conservation status,
designated species
particularly of those
Flaws in the Respecting
most in decline, has been Wildlife Habitats
improved and sustained. Regulations, lack of
interdepartmental
collaboration.
Target 15 723 mining sites
Restoration
abandoned
Uncompensated loss of Eastern Habitat Joint
wetlands Venture
Definition and register of
By 2020, ecosystem degraded ecosystems are
resilience and the 1/5 lacking
contribution of
biodiversity to carbon
stocks has been
enhanced, through
conservation and Carbon
restoration, including sequestration Fonds Restor-Action
restoration of at least 15 Carbon stocks are not taken Nunavik
per cent of degraded into account in Pilot project for
ecosystems, thereby environmental assessment carbon stocks
processes assessment in boreal
contributing to climate
region
change mitigation and 3/5
adaptation and to
combating
desertificationTarget 17
Lack of biodiversity
strategy and action plan
Lack of follow-up and
assessment measures
By 2015 each Party has
linked with existing Aichi targets are
developed, adopted as a guidance mentioned in the existing
policy instrument, and has Lack of biodiversity strategies and guidance
commenced implementing progress report
2/5
an effective, participatory Lack of consensus-building
and updated national structure with civil society
biodiversity strategy and
action plan.
Target 20
The MDDELCC and the
By 2020, at the latest, the MFFP budgets have been
mobilization of financial reduced
resources for effectively The MFFP personnel has
implementing the been reduced
SÉPAQ financial
Strategic Plan for
assistance has been
Biodiversity 2011-2020 reduced
from all sources, and in Funding programs
1/5
accordance with the consecrated to
consolidated and agreed environmentally-oriented
process in the Strategy for organizations
Resource Mobilization disappeared
should increase
substantially from the
current levels.You can also read
