FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Ottawa, ON (February 11, 2021) – Nature Canada released a proposal today calling for an ambitious binational agenda to address the dual crises of species collapse and climate change across Canada and the United States. The proposal titled “Allies for Nature” recognizes the historic alignment between the new Biden administration and the Trudeau government’s stated objectives for environmental protection and restoration. 

“President Biden has swung open the door for a Canada-U.S. alliance for nature,” says Graham Saul, Executive Director of Nature Canada. “Our two countries rarely align on anything as closely as Biden and Trudeau have on protecting natural areas, employing nature-based climate solutions and engaging Indigenous leadership. If we can solidify an agenda for joint action now, we can vastly amplify the impact that either country would have alone.”

Allies for Nature has three broad proposals in its action agenda:

1. Protect and connect ecological corridors: Some of the world’s most precious ecological corridors span the U.S. – Canada border. A joint action plan to protect and reconnect fragmented corridors would support the safe movement of wildlife species.
2. Support Indigenous rights and conservation: Learning from and collaborating with Indigenous governments and communities is essential to Canada-U.S. cooperation in conserving ecological corridors and applying nature-based climate strategies.
3. Advance nature-based climate solutions: The Canadian government has made protecting and restoring nature a pillar of its climate policy. President Biden’s executive orders on climate change also feature nature-based solutions, citing the need to limit greenhouse gas emissions from sectors like forestry and agriculture to meet decarbonization targets.

A Canada-U.S. alliance could have a breakthrough impact for nature and the climate if bold joint action is pursued in those three priority areas.

“Allies for Nature should be seen as a call to action to all who care about nature on both sides of the border,” says Gauri Sreenivasan, Policy and Campaigns Director at Nature Canada. “This may be a once in a lifetime opportunity for cooperation and if we don’t seize it, we all lose.” 

Nature Canada is already working with key stakeholders including Indigenous leaders, U.S. environmental groups, and Canadian organizations to drive forward this agenda and bring about lasting improvement to nature in North America.

Read more: Allies for Nature – A Call For A Canada – U.S. Agenda to Support People And The Planet

-30- 

For more information contact: 

Scott Mullenix 
media@naturecanada.ca