SDG N° 15, target 15.8

What we examined: This audit focused on whether Fisheries and Oceans Canada and the Canada Border Services Agency implemented adequate measures to prevent aquatic invasive species from becoming established in Canadian waters. We examined the organizations’ activities to prevent introductions, to detect and respond to invasions, and to prevent the spread of aquatic invasive species.

Why we did this audit: This audit is important because aquatic invasive species can devastate biodiversity and ecosystem functions. These species can compete aggressively with native species for food and survival, harming fish, fish habitat, and fisheries. This can have negative impacts on the communities and Indigenous peoples that depend on these resources. Along with damaging infrastructure, aquatic invasive species can foul beaches and ruin sport fishing, affecting tourism and local economies.

Overall message: We found that Fisheries and Oceans Canada and the Canada Border Services Agency had not taken the steps required to prevent invasive species, such as the zebra mussel, green crab, and tunicates, from becoming established in Canada’s waters despite commitments to do so over the years. Fisheries and Oceans Canada had not determined which species and pathways posed the greatest threats to Canada’s environment and economy and to human health and activities, and it had not determined which species were the most important to regulate.

Fisheries and Oceans Canada had, however, taken significant action to prevent Asian carp species from becoming established in the Great Lakes, and in 2017, the Department received additional funding to deal with aquatic invasive species.

We also found that Fisheries and Oceans Canada did not distinguish its responsibilities with regard to aquatic invasive species from those of the provinces and territories. Not knowing who should do what creates uncertainty about which jurisdiction should respond when new invasive species are detected. As well, the Aquatic Invasive Species Regulations were not adequately enforced, partly because of the Department’s and the Agency’s shortcomings in equipping and training fishery officers and border services officers with the means to prevent aquatic invasive species from entering Canada.

Qu'avons-nous examiné ? L'audit visait à déterminer si Pêches et Océans Canada et l'Agence des services frontaliers du Canada avaient pris des mesures adéquates pour prévenir l'établissement d'espèces aquatiques envahissantes dans les eaux canadiennes. Nous avons examiné les activités menées par ces deux organisations pour prévenir l'introduction d'espèces envahissantes, détecter les invasions et prendre des mesures d'intervention, et empêcher la propagation des espèces aquatiques envahissantes.

Pourquoi avons-nous effectué cet audit ? Cet audit est important parce que les espèces aquatiques envahissantes peuvent dévaster la biodiversité et les fonctions écosystémiques. Ces espèces peuvent livrer une concurrence féroce aux espèces indigènes pour se nourrir et survivre, causant des dommages aux poissons, à leur habitat et aux pêches. Cela peut avoir des répercussions négatives sur les collectivités et les peuples autochtones qui sont tributaires de ces ressources. Les espèces aquatiques envahissantes peuvent non seulement endommager les infrastructures, mais aussi souiller les plages et mettre à mal la pêche sportive, ce qui nuit au tourisme et aux économies locales.

Message général : Nous avons constaté que Pêches et Océans Canada et l'Agence des services frontaliers du Canada n'avaient pas pris les mesures requises pour empêcher des espèces aquatiques envahissantes comme la moule zébrée, le crabe vert et les espèces de tunicier de s'établir dans les eaux canadiennes, même s'ils s'étaient engagés à le faire à maintes reprises au fil des ans. Pêches et Océans Canada n'avait pas déterminé les espèces ni les voies d'entrée qui posaient les plus grands risques pour l'environnement et l'économie du pays ainsi que pour la santé et les activités des Canadiens, et il n'avait pas non plus identifié les espèces qui devaient être réglementées en priorité.

Pêches et Océans Canada avait toutefois pris d'importantes mesures pour prévenir l'établissement des espèces de carpe asiatique dans les Grands Lacs et, en 2017, le Ministère a reçu des fonds supplémentaires pour lutter contre les espèces aquatiques envahissantes.

Nous avons aussi constaté que Pêches et Océans Canada n'avait pas établi de distinction entre ses responsabilités et les responsabilités des provinces et des territoires à l'égard des espèces aquatiques envahissantes. Le fait de ne pas connaître les tâches qui incombent à chaque ordre de gouvernement suscite des incertitudes quant à savoir qui devrait agir lorsqu'une nouvelle espèce envahissante est détectée. En outre, le Règlement sur les espèces aquatiques envahissantes n'a pas été appliqué adéquatement, en partie à cause des faiblesses du Ministère et de l'Agence pour ce qui est de fournir aux agents des pêches et aux agents des services frontaliers l'équipement et la formation nécessaires pour prévenir l'introduction d'espèces aquatiques envahissantes au Canada.

SDG N° 15, target 15.8

• Fisheries and Oceans Canada should develop or coordinate a national database or platform that would allow the Department and stakeholders to track and share information about species introductions and spread. This information should help the Department make informed decisions about where to focus its resources for prevention and monitoring activities.
• Fisheries and Oceans Canada should develop and implement a science-based process to identify the species, pathways, or areas to include in the Aquatic Invasive Species Regulations.
• In consultation with the provinces, territories, and other partners, Fisheries and Oceans Canada should develop and communicate a strategy to guide its resource allocation decisions, so that it can prevent the establishment of aquatic invasive species.
• Fisheries and Oceans Canada should develop response plans for species that have a high risk of becoming established and causing environmental or economic impacts, or for areas where there is a high risk of this occurring.

• Pêches et Océans Canada devrait établir et coordonner une base de données ou une plateforme nationale qui permettrait au Ministère et aux parties prenantes de surveiller et de mettre en commun l'information sur l'introduction et la propagation des espèces. Cette information devrait aider le Ministère à prendre des décisions éclairées sur l'affectation de ses ressources aux activités de prévention et de suivi.
• Pêches et Océans Canada devrait élaborer et mettre en œuvre un processus qui repose sur des données scientifiques pour déterminer les espèces, les voies d'entrée ou les zones qui devraient être visées par le Règlement sur les espèces aquatiques envahissantes.
• De concert avec les provinces, les territoires et les autres parties prenantes, Pêches et Océans Canada devrait définir et diffuser une stratégie pour guider ses décisions d'allocation des ressources dans le but de prévenir l'établissement d'espèces aquatiques envahissantes.
• Pêches et Océans Canada devrait définir des plans d'intervention rapide pour les espèces qui présentent un risque élevé de s'établir au Canada et d'avoir des effets néfastes sur l'environnement et l'économie, ou pour les régions qui sont les plus exposées à ce risque.

The mining industry is directly or indirectly linked to several SDG goals. These include for example goals N° 7, 8, 9, 12, 13 and 15.

The economic, social, and ecological sustainability of mining is debated in Finland, in the EU and around the world. In the report Perspectives on sustainable mining in Finland this topic is approached from the following perspectives: the connection between sustainable mining and central government finances, objectives and implementation of Finland’s mining policy, increasing the added value of battery minerals and battery industry, circular economy solutions for mining operations, local acceptance of mining operations (social licence to operate, SLO), and the management of environmental risks arising from abandoned and closed mines.

Even though mining is a commercial activity, it is connected with the state and central government finances in many ways. Environmental protection and ecologically sustainable mining have also been major themes in Government Programmes in the 2010s. The Finnish Mineral Strategy published in 2010 and the Sustainable Extractive Industries Action Plan presented in 2013 are the two key strategies guiding Finland’s mining and mineral policy. The Sustainable Mining Network and the mining responsibility system created by it were established on the basis of the recommendations set out in the Sustainable Extractive Industries Action Plan. Mining sector actors have been mostly satisfied with the networked activities and the responsibility system. On the other hand, it seems that the 2010 Mineral Strategy and the Sustainable Extractive Industries Action Plan of 2013 do not otherwise necessarily guide the activities anymore. In fact, the question arises whether these strategies should be updated or overhauled. National and various EU-level strategies could also be coordinated with each other more effectively.

Finland presented its national battery strategy in early 2021. Batteries play a key role in the achievement of climate targets. Finland has also worked to improve the added value of battery minerals and battery industry. The key strategic objective of the state-owned Finnish Minerals Group is to develop an electric car battery value chain in Finland.

Circular economy solutions for the mining sector can be used to implement circular economy policy objectives. However, most of the circular economy solutions are still on a trial basis. The problem is to make these solutions more widely and systematically available.

In order to be commercially successful, a mining company must gain the acceptance of the local community (social licence to operate, SLO).  Gaining local acceptance is not always a straightforward matter. There may be major differences between operating practices of mining companies and they sometimes fail to receive the social licence to operate.

In the past, many Finnish mines were abandoned and closed using methods that do not meet today’s environmental and safety standards. In Finland, the state of closed and abandoned extractive waste sites has been examined in the KAJAK projects since the 2010s. A number of projects to reform the environmental liability legislation applicable to mining operations are also under way.

This is not an audit report. Instead, it is a landscape review that examines sustainable mining from many different perspectives. The report therefore does not present audit recommendations. However, the last subsection of each chapter of the report discusses opportunities for development.

Written material was used as sources and a large number of interviews with mining and mineral industry experts were carried out. Mining companies and experts also provided the NAOF with valuable information in writing. Written material was used as sources and a large number of interviews with mining and mineral industry experts were carried out. Mining companies and experts also provided the NAOF with valuable information in writing. Written material was used as sources and a large number of interviews with mining and mineral industry experts were carried out. Mining companies and experts also provided the NAOF with valuable information in writing.

COA recommended to DENR the following actions to help ensure earnings of the community partners from seedling production:

1. Provide partner communities with trainings on seedling production and fund management;
2. Do not proceed with the contract unless the partner communities are capable of producing the seedlings themselves; and
3. Adjust the timelines for seedling production to give partner communities time to produce the seedlings.

By implementing the recommendations, DENR will be able to ensure that about 34% of the total budget will be redirected to community partners and not to private suppliers. With more sustainable income, the community partners will be made to stay in the community/plantation sites and continue take care of the forests.

COA also recommended to resume efforts to restart the convergence initiative involving other government agencies. The DENR could start mapping the government grants related to the program and establish a unit that will help partner communities comply with the documentary requirement of the grants.
 

Apart from the usual interviews and site visits, the auditors used a variety of tools in analyzing the data. First, is the Geocam, which is a geophoto and video application for Android. It uses augmented reality to show on top of your camera a layer of geographical information such as Compass orientation, GPS position and different phone inclinations like a theodolite optical instrument. The auditors used this application to validate the reports of the extension officers by creating their own geo-tagged photos of the plantation sites.

Since, plantation sites cover thousands of hectares, the auditors will not be able to trek the entire area. Hence, the auditors used Google Earth Pro to get a bird’s eye view of the plantation sites. Furthermore, the Google Earth Pro has a timelapse feature. Using this feature, the auditors were able to see the progress of the plantation areas through the years.

The problem, however, is that Google Earth Pro does not always contain the most updated image of the plantation sites. Hence, the auditors also used Sentinel Hub. Sentinel Hub provides newer satellite images of the plantations sites.