Canada and the United States share a border that spans several of the world's major watersheds and encompasses the largest reserves of fresh water on the planet. The border that separates these two neighbours is political, but the natural environment is a matter of common concern.

In recent years, dramatic changes have taken place in the political and environmental landscapes that shape the conversations, possibilities, and processes associated with the management of this shared interest. More than ever, Indigenous populations are recognized to be a necessary part of negotiations and decision-making regarding matters ranging from pipelines to the protection of endangered species' habitats.

Globalization and, in particular, the continuing elaboration of a transnational conversation and architecture for addressing issues related to climate change have ramifications for Canada-U.S. transboundary issues.

The contributors to this volume examine the state of the existing transboundary relationship between Canada and the United States, including the governance structures and processes, the environmental impacts and adequacy of these structures and processes, and the opportunities and obstacles that exist for reform and improved outcomes.

Stephen Brooks is Professor of Political Science at the University of Windsor and teaches political science at the University of Michigan. He has written several books on American politics including As Others See Us: The Causes and Consequences of Foreign Perceptions of America (2006) and American Exceptionalism in the Age of Obama (2013).

Stephen Brooks' profile page

Andrea Olive is assistant professor in the Department of Political Science and Geography at the University of Toronto, Mississauga. Olive completed her PhD at Purdue University in 2009 where she taught courses in environmental policy and was assistant professor at the University of Michigan, Dearborn before coming to the University of Toronto, Mississauga in the summer of 2012. She is the author of Land, Stewardship, and Legitimacy: Endangered Species Policy in Canada and the United States (UTP, 2014).

Andrea Olive's profile page

"This excellent volume is the most comprehensive assessment to date of transboundary environmental and resource governance along and across the U.S.-Canadian border."

Stacy D. VanDeveer

"Stephen Brooks and Andrea Olive have assembled a thoughtful collection that explores how local, regional, subnational, tribal, national, and nongovernmental organizations in the United States and Canada have worked to manage shared environmental resources."

H-Environment