Traditionally, governments have relied on direct spending, legislation and regulation to achieve their goals. Today, there is a growing emphasis on finding alternatives such as non-regulatory approaches and economic instruments that encourage developers and consumers to consider the economic and environmental impacts during each phase of resource development and use. The Department develops regulations in areas such as nuclear energy, energy efficiency and explosives. It also works with other federal departments such as Environment, Health and Fisheries and Oceans to develop environmental regulations, with the Department of Finance on fiscal and tax policies affecting resources and with Indian Affairs and Northern Development on resource policies in northern Canada and to resolve Aboriginal issues related to land. NRCan promotes Canada's interests in cooperation with international agencies and other nations to meet our global commitments related to natural resources and to maintain access to world markets for Canadian products, technologies and services.
Many environmental issues transcend political boundaries.
This reality, coupled with expanding global trade, is resulting in a greater emphasis on international cooperation. Canada works with international agencies and other countries to resolve global sustainable development issues and to ensure access to markets for its natural resource products, technologies and services. The Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal addresses problems associated with the international movement of hazardous wastes, particularly into developing countries. However, some of its requirements are having unintended impacts on the recycling of some materials. For example, a proposed amendment to the Convention would ban the export of hazardous recyclable materials from developed countries to most developing countries.