Government Missing in Action to Halt the Loss of
Biodiversity
Toronto, January 10, 2012 - The Environmental
Commissioner of Ontario says the Government of Ontario must come up
with a new strategy to stem the continuing decline in Ontario's
species and natural spaces.
In a special report released today, "Biodiversity: A Nation's
Commitment, an Obligation for Ontario," Gord Miller says unless
Ontario and all other provinces take action, the international
commitments made by the federal government will be
meaningless.
"The Ontario government did adopt a Biodiversity Strategy in
2005," says Gord Miller. "Unfortunately, it expired in 2010, and
the government has so far chosen not to adopt an updated
plan. Our government cannot avoid its obligation," says
Miller, "to guide Ontario's response to this urgent
crisis."
In 2010, Canada met with almost 200 nations in Nagoya, Japan and
agreed on 20 biodiversity conservation targets that should be
achieved by 2020. But the Commissioner says most of the
constitutional responsibility for meeting these targets lies with
Ontario and the other provincial governments.
"Efforts to halt the loss of
biodiversity must be implemented at the provincial level if they
are to be effective. And Ontario won't be able to do that unless it
has a new Biodiversity Strategy." Gord Miller, Environmental
Commissioner of Ontario In Ontario, the most
significant threats to the province's species and natural spaces
are habitat degradation, climate change, invasive species,
overexploitation and pollution.
The Commissioner has previously warned about the lack of action
to safeguard the province's 200 species at risk such as snapping
turtles, cougars, and Jefferson salamanders. Gord Miller has said
the government also needs to address the threats from invasive
species like Asian carp, and protect wetlands and woodlands in
southern Ontario.
The Environmental Commissioner says, "the federal government has
promised, during the current International Decade for Biodiversity,
to conserve biodiversity on behalf of all Canadians."
It is imperative that the Government of Ontario acts quickly and
come up with a plan to implement those commitments, said the
Commissioner. This requires a new Biodiversity Strategy.
Rhetoric alone will not
suffice."
How we deal with the biodiversity
crisis today will be the legacy that we leave behind. We must not
be out of step with the efforts underway now around the world to
tackle one of the greatest challenges of our time. The Government
of Ontario needs a strategic plan of action to conserve, protect,
and recover our province's biological diversity, states the
report.
Download the special report "Biodiversity: A
Nation's Commitment, an Obligation for Ontario"
and the Commissioner's opening remarks to the Legislature at http://www.eco.on.ca/