Biodiversity
Some of the most biodiverse areas in Canada are under tremendous pressure.
Scientists have documented an alarming decline in biological diversity – the variety of species, gene pools, and ecosystems found on Earth. A UN report issued in 2019 found that one million species are currently on a path toward extinction worldwide.
The challenge
Canada is losing species
-
Canada is far from immune from this crisis. Despite still having vast wild spaces, we have hundreds of species at risk and the list keeps growing. Some of the most biodiverse areas in southern Canada are under tremendous pressure from human activities, including urban sprawl and highways. But even in remote northern areas, the pressure to extract resources like minerals, wood or fossil fuels and to build access roads grows every year, with climate change exacerbating impacts
Current biodiversity policy is lacking
-
Canada’s biodiversity management is complex and involves many laws and departments. It provides limited protection to species and ecosystems. To improve, we need to shift from short-term, project-based thinking to proactive, large-scale planning. This includes considering the sustainability of projects for current and future generations, and maximizing benefits for people, nature, and the climate.
Our solutions
Finding places important for biodiversity
-
Our Key Biodiversity Areas (KBA) program identifies areas with high biodiversity values that need improved stewardship. These areas can be in the heart of large urban areas or in remote landscapes. So far, we’ve identified more than 1,000 KBAs across Canada.
Tracking and reporting Canada's biodiversity
-
Tracking biodiversity health isn’t as simple as tracking carbon dioxide for climate change. There isn’t just one number that can tell us how healthy wildlife and ecosystems are. The SHAPE of Nature project offers a wide range of information about nature and conservation in Canada that’s founded on science and accessible to everyone.
Implementing our international biodiversity commitments
-
Canada was the first industrialized country to sign the Convention on Biodiversity (CBD) in 1992. Following the adoption of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework in Montreal in December 2023, Canada is obliged to implement this into an ambitious and transformative 2030 Biodiversity Strategy for Canada. We’re recommending actions for an effective, transformative strategy.
Finding conservation solutions through the eyes of species
-
We study species that show us the health of larger ecosystems. These species, like caribou, wolverine, lake sturgeon, songbirds, whales, seals and bats, are facing growing threats. Our science helps us understand what these species need to survive and thrive.
Improving how biodiversity impacts are addressed in industrial development
-
We provide scientific expertise and experience in addressing individual development projects in diverse sectors
-
We’ve improved the design and implementation of impact assessment policies and processes, particularly those focused on addressing cumulative effects.
