Agreement on Environmental Cooperation between the
Government of Canada and the Government of the Republic of Chile

Preamble

The Government of Canada and the Government of the Republic of Chile:

Convinced of the importance of the conservation, protection and enhancement of the environment in their territories and the essential role of cooperation in these areas in achieving sustainable development for the well-being of present and future generations;

Reaffirming the sovereign right of States to exploit their own resources pursuant to their own environmental and development policies and their responsibility to ensure that activities within their jurisdiction or control do not cause damage to the environment of other States or of areas beyond the limits of national jurisdiction;

Recognizing the global nature of the environment;

Acknowledgments the growing economic and social links between them, including the Canada-Chile Free Trade Agreement (CCFTA);

Recalling that Canada and Chile share a commitment to pursue policies which promote sustainable development, and that sound environmental management is an essential element of sustainable development;

Reconfirming the importance of the environmental goals and objectives of the CCFTA, including enhanced levels of environmental protection;

Emphasizing the importance of public participation in conserving, protecting and enhancing the environment;

Noting the existence of differences in their respective natural endowments, climatic and geographical conditions, and economic, technological and infrastructural capabilities;

Reaffirming the Stockholm Declaration on the Human Environment of 1972 and the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development of 1992;

Recalling their tradition of environmental cooperation and expressing their desire to support and build on international environmental agreements and existing policies and laws, in order to promote cooperation between them;

Recognizing the desire to build on progress made through the cooperative activities of the Memorandum of Understanding on Environmental Cooperation between the Department of the Environment of Canada and the Department of Industry Canada and the National Commission on the Environment of Chile;

Convinced of the benefits to be derived from a framework, including a Commission, to facilitate effective cooperation on the conservation, protection and enhancement of the environment in their territories; and

Desiring to facilitate the accession of Chile to the North American Agreement on Environmental Cooperation;

Have Agreed as follows:

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