In the Spotlight
Got a Solution to Protect Our Shared Environment? We Can Help You Make It Happen!
Tiohtià:ke (Montreal), 20 November 2025—The Commission for Environmental Cooperation’s Generation of Environmental Leaders Program (GELP) is now accepting applications from across Canada, Mexico and the United States!
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
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.
Featured Project
Enhancing Co-benefits of Marine Protected Areas
2021 Active Ecosystems
Featured Publication
Vaquita Porpoise
Factual Record Regarding Submission SEM-21-002
March 24, 2022 158 pages Enforcement
This factual record addresses the assertions contained in submission SEM-21-001 (Vaquita Porpoise) concerning alleged failures to effectively enforce the General Wildlife Act (Ley General de Vida Silvestre—LGVS) and its regulation (the “LGVS Regulation”), and various administrative orders aimed at protecting the vaquita (Phocoena sinus), a species that is critically endangered due to the direct impacts of illegally fishing totoaba (Totoaba macdonaldi) in Mexico’s Upper Gulf of California (UGC). In addition to a summary of the response from the Government of Mexico (“the Party”), the factual record presents the information obtained by the Secretariat in the course of its preparation, including information about measures taken by the Party to address the issues raised in the submission.
LGVS Article 55 provides that any import, export, or re-export of specimens, parts, and derivatives of wild species included in the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) must adhere to CITES, the LGVS, and any provisions flowing from them. Article 56 of the LGVS Regulation provides that any import, export, or re-export of biological material from species included in CITES must also adhere to the Convention. Both the vaquita and the totoaba are listed in CITES Appendix I, meaning that international trade in specimens of both species should be subject to particularly strict regulation. The “1975 Totoaba Fishing Ban” was promulgated in view of the declining population of totoaba and the special vulnerability of the species to commercial and sport fishing, given its limited area of distribution. The “2020 Gillnets Order” permanently bans all gillnets within a circumscribed area comprising the Zero Tolerance Area (Z0) and the Vaquita Refuge Area (VRA).
Work With Us
CEC’s English Style Guide Update
Consultant Opportunities
Deadline: December 11, 2025 5:00pm
Salary/Budget: The budget will not exceed C$10,000.00 (ten thousand Canadian dollars)
Location: All work will be conducted from the consultant’s own office.
Fast Mitigation Strategies for Short-lived Climate Pollutants
Consultant Opportunities
Deadline: January 16, 2026 5:00pm
Salary/Budget: The budget for this activity will not exceed C$150,000 (Canadian dollars), including professional fees and expenses.
Location: The consultants will work in their own offices.
CEC
Three countries working together to protect our shared environment 💚🌎🇨🇦🇲🇽🇺🇸
🟢 Español — @ccaamericadelnorte
🟢 Français — @cceameriquedunord
📈 Check out this powerful graph showing how #MonarchBlitz participation and therefore observations have grown over the years!
For the 9th year, community science programs across North America united to collect valuable data and 2025 set new records!
From 25 July to 3 August, more than 9,000 volunteers across Canada, Mexico and the United States reported 33,000+ monarch sightings and 71,000+ #milkweed observations. 🌱🦋
We’re especially grateful to our partners and to the organizations that helped mobilize communities by organizing monitoring activities during the Blitz. Your support makes this trinational effort possible!
Learn more about the #MonarchBlitz and the importance of #CommunityScience here:
👉More info link in bio!
#ScienceStartsHere
@canenvironment
@espacepourlavie
@cwf_fcf
@conanp_mx
@profauna_a.c
@correorealmx
@usfws
@monarchjointventure
@mlmpcitsci
@journeynorthorg
@xercessociety
@brandywinezoo
@georgia_dnr
@wissahickon.trails
naturalistart.jhj
@amleonardinc
🎉 This year we are celebrating the 15th anniversary of our North American Partnership for Environmental Community Action (#NAPECA) grant program! As part of our celebrations, we are highlighting today the 2024-2026, United States’s grant recipient project “Poeh Povi, The Flower Path: Indigenous Matriarch Farmer Collective,” from Flowering Tree Permaculture Institute.
This inspiring project is addressing actions put forward by a collective of native women that aim to support pollinators and healthy habitats. This incredible group puts together their individual expertise through knowledge sharing, whether it is related to seed conservation, soil restoration, beekeeping, or medicinal plants. 🌱🐝🌿
One of the project’s objectives is to educate the members of their communities by putting together and distributing toolkits that contain information about plants, pollinators, wildflower seeds and mycelium. 🌱🦗
Join us in celebrating NAPECA’s 15-anniversary and listen from the voice of the grant recipients about the impact their project is having in their community:
👉 https://www.cec.org/grant-programs/north-american-partnership-for-environmental-community-action/
🚀Join us for our webinar series on Building Community Resilience in North America 🌿🌎 This three-part webinar series will bring together experts, communities and the public-at-large from Canada, Mexico and the United States to discuss pressing environmental challenges in the region.
🟢Webinar 1: The Environmental Health Impacts of Wildfires and Associated Toxins 🌲🔥
📌 Thursday 2 October
⏰ 1:30-3:00 PM ET
🟢Webinar 2: Mercury and Toxic Cosmetics in North America 🏭💄
📌 Thursday 23 October
⏰ 1:30-3:00 PM ET
🟢Webinar 3: The Impact of Changing Seasonality on Communities Across North America 🍂❄️
📌 Wednesday 12 November
⏰ 1:30-3:00 PM ET
👂🗣️ These webinars will be held in English, Spanish and French, with simultaneous interpretation provided.
Don’t miss out and join the conversation!
Learn more and register here:
👉More info link in bio!
🦋 Exciting News! This year, volunteers broke participation records during the 9th edition of the #MonarchBlitz!
From 25 July to 3 August 2025, more than 9,000 participants across Canada, Mexico and the US contributed over 33,000 #monarch sightings and more than 71,000 #milkweed observations! 🌱🦋
The data collected can help inform scientists, guide local actions and inspire communities to take part in conserving this iconic species!
A huge thank you to our incredible partners and to all the volunteers and organizations who shared their Blitz activities with us. Your contributions made this year’s Blitz a huge success!
Learn more about the encouraging results of this year’s #MonarchBlitz!
👉More info link in bio!
#CommunityScience
#ScienceStartsHere
#NorthAmerica
@canenvironment
@espacepourlavie
@cwf_fcf
@conanp_mx
@profauna_a.c
@correorealmx
@usfws
@monarchjointventure
@mlmpcitsci
@journeynorthorg
@xercessociety
@brandywinezoo
@georgia_dnr
@wissahickon.trails
naturalistart.jhj
@amleonardinc
🚀Exciting Opportunity! Looking for #consultants to support the five-year review of the implementation of the Agreement on Environmental Cooperation (ECA) 🌎🤝
The CEC was established in 1994 by the governments of Canada, Mexico and the United States through the North American Agreement on Environmental Cooperation (NAAEC), a side agreement to NAFTA. On 1 July 2020, the NAAEC was replaced by the ECA.
The objectives of the review are to:
🔵 Provide recommendations to help the Council improve the operations and effectiveness to achieve the ECA objectives.
🔵 Identify best practices and achievements related to environmental law enforcement in the three countries, as well as existing gaps and challenges in implementation.
🔵 Assess the CEC’s institutional capacity to foster public participation and improve transparency and accountability.
📌 Check out the full scope of work!
Deadline to submit proposals: Friday 10 October 2025.
👉More info link in bio!
📢📅 Mark your calendar for the CEC’s annual #YouthEngagementWeek (YEW)! The call for speakers and facilitators is now open.
This year’s theme: “Youth Breaking Silos”. Taking place online in Fall 2025 with three webinars.
🍂 Webinar 1: Youth-Driven Businesses and Intra/Entrepreneurship
🍂 Webinar 2: Youth & Indigenous and Traditional Ecological Knowledge
🍂Webinar 3: Youth & Subnational and Community Resilience Engagement
🟤 Become a 2025 YEW Facilitator
📌 Deadline, Tuesday 30 September
🟠 Become a 2025 YEW Speaker
📌 Deadline, Thursday 16 October
If you believe in intergenerational networks and the vital role of #youth perspectives to build a sustainable future in North America, then this opportunity might be for you!
Don’t miss out and join the conversation! To learn more read our newsletter here:
👉👉More info link in bio!
🎉 This year is the 15th anniversary of our North American Partnership for Environmental Community Action (#NAPECA) grant program!
As part of our ongoing campaign, today we are highlighting the 2013-2015, Mexico’s grant recipient project “Local capacity building to apply alternative technologies and training on sustainable water management,” from Alternative Technology Innovation Center (Centro de Innovación en Tecnología Alternativa—CITA).
This inspiring project is addressing the installation of water and soil conservation systems, including rainwater harvesting, greywater filters, and ecological toilets, in communities of Tepoztlán, Morelos, Mexico that are facing water supply challenges. 🧱☔🚽
The CEC’s support has helped with local capacity building and trainings, notably with women and children, to make this project have a long-term impact for more than 10 years. 💧🌱
Join us in celebrating NAPECA’s 15-anniversary and listen from the voice of the grant recipients about the impact their project is having in their community:
👉More info link in bio!
🎉 This year is the 15th anniversary of our North American Partnership for Environmental Community Action (#NAPECA) grant program! Over the years, we have supported 100 projects and together, with our grantees, helped build long-term partnerships to improve environmental conditions at the community level and support local priorities.
Today we are highlighting the 2019-2020 Canada’s grant recipient project “Working with the community to reduce vulnerability to flooding” from @ncc_cnc
This inspiring project is addressing the risk of flooding and increasing aquatic connectivity in the Brochets River and Lake Champlain watersheds.
The CEC’s support has helped develop expertise in aquatic connectivity through an online map that show the culverts, and bridges that need to be replaced to limit the risk of flooding. 🗺️💧
Join us in celebrating NAPECA’s 15-anniversary and listen from the voice of the grant recipients about the impact their project is having in their community:
👉More info link in bio!
🚀💻 Are you on social media frequently? If you are and are interested in learning about how the CEC brings together Canada, Mexico and the US to work on a wide array of North American environmental issues 🌎 stay connected with us!
Don’t miss out on webinars, events, public consultations, consultant and grant opportunities, youth engagement activities and more.
Connect with us in one (or several) of our eleven social media platforms in English, Spanish and French.
Check them out here:
👉More info link in bio!
Follow us today and be part of our network!
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.