1.42 Effects of ozone-depleting substance reduction. Environment Canada also receives information from international sources on various environmental aspects and the effects of reducing the consumption of ozone-depleting substances. The scientific information comes from the reports of the Scientific Assessment Panel of the Montreal Protocol. The group is composed of international experts from countries, including Canada, that are parties to the Montreal Protocol. These reports are reviewed by experts and used by the parties as a basis for decision-making. According to these reports: 1.7 Importance of environmental agreements. Since many environmental problems such as air pollution, ozone degradation, climate change and marine pollution are transboundary or global in nature, countries cannot achieve the expected results alone. Countries have increasingly recognized this and have developed a wide range of international environmental agreements to work together on global environmental issues. 1.132 In our audit case studies, we found that senior departments have different information and knowledge about whether they are meeting environmental objectives and the results of their agreements. The entity sector noted that the ministries are aware of the environmental results of two agreements (the Montreal Protocol and the Ozone Annex), do not know the results for two others (MARPOL and Ramsar) and have partial knowledge of one agreement (UNFA). We noted that for the Montreal Protocol and ozone annexation, the expected environmental outcomes were clearly defined and the results measured. To be considered international, the treaty must be intergovernmental; bilateral agreements exist between two governments, and multilateral agreements exist between more than two. This category and subcategories are intended to cover agreements relating to energy production, including nuclear energy.
Those relating to nuclear-weapon-free zones; nuclear weapons testing; nuclear accidents; and radioactive waste is also included, although the many IAEA nuclear safeguards agreements are concluded. Conflict-related agreements are EXCLUDED as non-environmental, with the exception of agreements relating to bacteriological, chemical and toxin weapons. This is where the coding terms used for INCLUSION are identified: these categories aim to capture agreements related to specific ecosystems, including the ocean. As regards the protection of the marine environment, agreements on marine research and science are also included. The coding terms used for INCLUSION are: 1.109 What we reviewed. We examined whether Environment Canada knows to what extent Canada`s Designated Ramsar wetlands will be preserved. The main instruments available to countries under international law to cooperate on a wide range of global environmental challenges are international conventions and treaties on the environment and natural resources, also known as multilateral environmental agreements (MEAs). 1.6 In recent years, the federal government has embarked on a program to improve the effectiveness of public sector governance and accountability and has committed to a greater focus on results achieved through the use of public funds.