US and Canada commit to cutting water pollution

The US and Canada have committed to cutting water pollution in lakes and seas by renewing a 40-year-old Great Lakes environmental pact.

Environmentalists will be reassured to hear that both the US and Canada have committed to long-term policies tackling water pollution in North America. Their commitment will involve stepping up efforts to reduce pollution, cleanse contaminated sites and prevent exotic species invasions.

The agreement was first struck in the late 1980s after beaches and seas were found to be in ecological decay. Beaches and rivers spanning the countries were littered with foul algae blooms and dead fish, to the point that one river in Cleveland erupted into flames because of the numerous oil and chemicals that rested on its surface.

In order to tackle the problem, a vast programme of restoration was commenced by both governments, which has now been renewed with increased focus on the problems that inspired the original agreement.

Environmental Protection Agency chief Lisa Jackson said before signing the document with Canadian environment minister Peter Kent at the
Canadian embassy in Washington, D.C: "This agreement is more than just a commitment to each other.

"It is also a commitment to those who will come after us, showing them the importance of leaving the Great Lakes in better shape than they were when we inherited them."

Updates to the agreement include new sections on challenges that have emerged more recently, such as climate change and loss of wildlife habitat. It also looks to control invasive species in rivers and seas, and puts more responsibility into the hands of regional governments.

"We’ve learned the hard way that we should not wait for damage to occur before we take action," Ms Jackson said.

President Barack Obama’s administration has spent more than $1 billion (£0.6 billion) on a Great Lakes restoration programme and has requested $300 million (£187 million) for the current fiscal year, but Canada has been falling behind in their environmental commitments.

Posted by Lauren Steadman