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World's Population
The worlds population is estimated to have reach 1 billion -
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Canadian Environmental Laws
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Sun's Heat
Jean Baptiste Joseph Fourier proposes that the sun’s heat is partially trapped in the earth’s atmosphere, which acts like a giant glass jar, the first scientific reference to the greenhouse effect. -
Acid Rain
Chemist Robert Angus Smith writes of acid rain in and around Manchester, noting that sulphuric acid in city air damages fabrics and metals. -
Reserve to Park
Canada creates a reserve that later became Banff National Park, Canada’s first national park. -
Carbon Dioxide
Svante Arrhenius notes that carbon dioxide permits passage of short wavelength radiant heat from the sun, and traps reflected longer wave radiant heat emitted by Earth. This leads to an understanding of carbon dioxide as a greenhouse gas. -
Wildlife and Wilderness
Canada’s federal and provincial governments hold the first cooperative session on wildlife and wilderness preservation. -
Atomic Explosion
The first atomic explosions begin, and over the next couple of decades they will release nuclear fallout, including radioactive iodine and strontium 90, over huge regions of the planet. The fallout will turn up in milk thousands of kilometres from nuclear test sites. -
Natural Cycles
Canada’s Commission on Conservation writes about the need to live within natural cycles saying: “Each generation is entitled to the interest on the natural capital, but the principal should be handed on unimpaired.” This presages the concept of sustainable development. -
Wildlife Fund
Creation of the World Wildlife Fund to protect animals and plants threatened with extinction. -
Pollution Probe
Pollution Probe is created by a small group of University of Toronto students assisted by some faculty. It draws widespread support by acting as a focal point for growing public concern about the environment. -
Department of the Environment
Canada creates a Department of the Environment, combining a series of other federal organizations with environmental responsibilities. -
Environmental Assessment Act
Ontario passes the Environmental Assessment Act, the first province to make such assessments legally required in the planning and approval of certain projects. -
Protest against Chemical Waste
Canadian residents protest against chemical waste dumping into the Niagara River. -
Vote for the Future Environment
The United Nations, with the backing of Canada and a handful of other nations, votes to create a commission on the future of the environment. -
World Population
The world population hits 5 billion, doubling in less than 40 years.