Contribution of the International Joint Commission to Great Lakes renewal

The Boundary Waters Treaty of 1909 established the International Joint Commission (IJC) as an organization designed to resolve disputes and to avoid conflicts over transboundary environmental matters. Article IV of the Treaty provides the provision that neither party shall cause pollution that would injure the health or property of the other side. In 1972, the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement (GLWQA) was created with the goal of enhancing and maintaining the quality of the waters of the Great Lakes Basin Ecosystem. The Agreement is considered to be a standing reference under the Boundary Waters Treaty. The signators or "Parties" to the GLWQA are the federal governments of Canada and the United States who commit to collaborate with other governmental jurisdictions within the Great Lakes basin. The IJC does not have authority for implementation of the GLWQA, but serves to alert, advise and assist the governments in achieving their goals under the Agreement. This paper draws on empirical evidence and experiential knowledge to report on the role of the IJC in the GLWQA, and its achievements in advancing the goal of enhancing and maintaining ecosystem health in the world's largest freshwater ecosystem, the Great Lakes.