First, I'd like to point out that we're not starting from scratch. As the committee member has mentioned, with 800 firms, over 50,000 jobs in Canada and the sector still growing quite rapidly, Canada is actually in a position of strength in terms of our base. We are widely recognized around the world as being a leader in that domain.
Why is such a large proportion exported? I guess it's for two reasons. Canada is roughly 2% of the global market, so by definition if you're really trying to address global problems, you'll find a demand out there. Whether it's in Europe, China or the U.S., they're very keen to get our solutions for water technologies or for emissions reductions for methane. They are struggling with the same issues we're struggling with, so they're very keen to benefit from Canada's technology, and I would say that globally we have a very good brand. We're seen as a serious player and a credible player in this space.
I would add, though, more critically, because we're among Canadians here, that we have to reflect on how we can better our gains. We heard throughout our consultations that among our adopters there is certainly a propensity to be risk-averse. The data I referenced earlier in the deck does signal that, especially among our large, established players, who tell us that they are concerned that would disrupt their production or their activities.
Culturally, there may also be a bit of a propensity, historically, if I may reference some players in the minerals and metals sector, for instance, to use established processes and maybe not to push the envelope quite as much as we would like to. But that transformation happens. In the forestry sector, if we had had a similar discussion 15 years ago, we'd probably have echoed the same concerns, and look at the amount of progress we've made. The same thing applies in the energy sector. We've made great strides, if I can use the example of oil and gas, in adopting advanced technologies to reduce emissions. Is there scope to do more? Absolutely, there is, but we've seen movement. Our propensity to take risks or to adopt new technologies is certainly an area in which we could certainly do better.