Environmental protection
To take advantage of its natural resources while respecting limits on the ability of the physical and biological environment to support economic development, Québec has adopted the principle of sustainable development. Its approach is based on three fundamental objectives:
- ecological integrity;
- equity between individuals, generations and nations;
- economic efficiency.
The Sustainable Development Act, passed unanimously by the National Assembly in April 2006, makes Québec one of a small number of jurisdictions, including several US states, Manitoba, Luxemburg and Belgium, to have passed legislation specifically focusing on sustainable development. The Act introduces a new management framework within the public administration to ensure that powers and responsibilities are exercised in a manner conducive to sustainable development.
Québec is the Canadian province with the lowest per-capita greenhouse gas emissions, mainly because of the widespread use of hydroelectricity, a clean, renewable form of energy. In June 2006 the Québec government launched its third action plan, Québec and Climate Change, A Challenge for the Future, covering the period 2006-2012. It sets out a coherent vision for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions consistent with the objectives of the Kyoto Protocol.
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