In the Spotlight
Our Impact
Explore how the CEC’s work over the years has delivered tangible environmental and social outcomes across North America — from scientific studies that guided environmental standards, regulations and policies in Canada, Mexico and the United-States, to trinational conservation strategies, community grants and geospatial mapping projects. Whether you’re a policymaker, conservation expert, researcher or simply interested in North American environmental cooperation, this page offers a comprehensive overview of not only what the CEC has achieved — but how and why those efforts have unfolded.
Topics
Climate Change
Supporting emissions reduction and helping communities adapt to extreme weather events
Environmental Justice
The pursuit of environmental justice (EJ) aims to address historical inequities, marginalization and discrimination in how environmental benefits and burdens are enjoyed or suffered by certain communities.
Ecosystems
Working with communities to conserve and restore North America's terrestrial and marine ecosystems and priority species
Enforcement
Supporting enforcement and compliance with domestic environmental law and with multilateral environmental agreements
Sustainable Living and Economies
Advancing the sustainability of our economic activities and life choices by identifying and fostering alternatives that effectively integrate the environmental, social and economic dimensions for a just and resilient North America. Our work is organized around four main areas:
Pollutants
Promoting clean air, water and land through prevention, reductions, and sound management of pollutant releases, toxic chemicals and hazardous waste
Youth Engagement
Over the years, the CEC has been committed to youth engagement and the efforts supported have provided youth with opportunities to raise awareness, provide tangible, sustainable, and innovative solutions for environmental issues in their communities, and influence CEC’s strategies, projects, and initiatives.
Indigenous Affairs
The Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC) recognizes the essential role that Indigenous Peoples and local communities play in environmental stewardship across Turtle Island, Madre Tierra, also known as North America.
Private Sector Engagement
The private sector plays a critical role in driving economic prosperity, innovation and sustainable development.
Featured Project
Strengthening Evidence-Based Collaborative Monarch Butterfly Conservation
2025 Active Ecosystems
Featured Publication
NALCMS — The North American Land Change Monitoring System
A trinational collaboration of more than 21 million square kilometers
March 14, 2025 50 pages Climate Change Ecosystems
Initiatives generating land cover information from geospatial data exist at various levels, from national to global. However, depending on user needs, one initiative might be more useful than another. What about regional or continental initiatives? They are less frequent because they often require direct cooperation between different national initiatives, and this involves long-term coordination and commitments among governmental agencies from different countries. This is why the North American Land Change Monitoring System (NALCMS) is a unique initiative whose story of collaboration is showcased in this publication to inform others around the world who might also need mid-level land cover initiatives to bridge the gap between national and global ones.
This document serves as a reference companion to the CEC’s NALCMS digital map products. It provides background information on the NALCMS initiative (history, collaborative process, land cover products creation and validation process, etc.) in an accessible way for generalist researchers, and NALCMS map products data users. It also highlights the nearly 20-year partnership between the CEC and experts from our countries’ environmental mapping and statistics agencies.
What We Do
We conduct research, provide tools and training, and provide a unique space for decision-makers and the public to engage on environmental policy issues affecting the North American region.