Bill C-73, the proposed Nature Accountability Act, will legislate a new nature advisory committee to provide the Minister of Environment and Climate Change with advice related to meeting the targets and goals of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.
This committee could be a key means of holding Canada to account for meeting its nature targets, but it must have sufficient support to do so. In addition to expert members with the time and capacity to meaningfully engage, two things will be crucial to the effective functioning of this committee: a strong secretariat and a sufficient budget.
Recommendations:
- $15 million over five years to support the new Nature Advisory Committee, including to compensate members, commission independent expertise and engage Indigenous peoples, the public and stakeholders. [ECCC]
- Appoint a secretariat with strong coordination skills as well as relevant scientific, Indigenous and policy knowledge and expertise. [ECCC]