User:Apineda168/U.S.–Canada Air Quality Agreement

The U.S. Canada Air Quality Agreement Overview
In 1991 The United States and Canada signed a bilateral executive agreement aimed at reducing transboundary air pollution referred to as The U.S. Canada Air Quality Agreement (AQA). Transboundary air pollution refers pollution creating in one country negatively impacting another country The bilateral agreement is comprised of three main objectives; reducing the impacts of transboundary pollution, prioritizing health and the environment, and corroborating to ensure each country is meeting its air quality standards. By signing the agreement, both countries concur that transboundary pollution could be mitigated through collaboration and cohesive actions An Air Quality Committee was formed responsible for reporting progress every two years In 2007, both parties successfully reached their targets outlined in the Acid Rain Annex and the Ozone Annex, demonstrating an overall emissions decrease and effective participation from both parties.

The Acid Rain Annex
The United States-Canada Air Quality Agreement initially prioritized the reduction of acid rain within each country. Established in 1991, the Acid Rain Annex aimed at reducing and, the main contributors of acid rain. The annex includes preventative measures aimed at minimizing declining air quality, visibility impairment, and actively monitoring emissions. Both countries independently sought to mitigate acid rain and its effects. Canada established the Eastern Canada Acid Rain Program in 1985 aimed at decreasing acid rain in Canada’s seven Eastern Provinces by 1994. By 1998 the Canadian Council of Ministers created the “Canada-Wide Acid Rain Strategy for Post 2000” a strategic plan set in place prioritizing human health and protecting sensitive communities affected by acid rain. The plan was comprised of four main elements including consistent reports to the public and the Ministers, reducing Sulphur Dioxide in the seven provinces, promoting continuous scientific research and monitoring, and preventive measures for non-affected areas. Notably, Canada is more vulnerable than the United States to acid rain, due to its geology and lack of compounds responsible for neutralizing acid deposition. Additionally, attributed to its downward position, Canada endures high levels of air pollution from the United States, with nearly fifty percent of pollution in Canada originating from the United States, further contributing to the formation of acid rain in Canada. The United States, in comparison, has few areas vulnerable to acid rain, with the regions being located mainly in the Northeastern regions near Canada. In 1995 the United States implemented the Acid Rain Program targeted at decreasing Sulphur Dioxide and Nitrogen Oxides. It went on to establish the first cap-and-trade program within the United States, the Program, that set an  emissions cap on generating facilities

The Ozone Annex
The Ozone Annex is a bilateral agreement added to the U.S.-Canada Air Quality Agreement and signed on December 7, 2000. Its purpose is to reduce transboundary pollution that pollutes the tropospheric ozone and creates smog, achieved by implementing air quality regulations and decreasing emissions. Early developments of the Ozone Annex occurred in 1997 after the both parties agreed scientific cooperation was required to address ground-level ozone and particular matter. The specific pollution targeted by the treaty includes nitrogen oxide and volatile organic compounds, the most contributing factors to the formation of smog. The final draft of the agreement delineates particular areas within the countries where the Ozone Annex would be applied, referred to as the Pollutant Emission Management Area (PEMA). In the United States PEMA includes eighteen different states, as well as the District of Colombia, roughly affecting 40% of the American population. In Canada, the annex particularly focused on Southern and Central Ontario and the Southern Quebec region, affecting nearly 50% of the Canada population.