CEC’s work to support the Local Environmental Observer (LEO) Network (2015–2016)
The Local Environmental Observer (LEO) Network is an online community of local observers and topic experts who share knowledge about unusual animal, environment, and weather events. The Network originated within the Alaska Tribal Health System as a project of the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium (ANTHC) in 2012 to bring local area experts in rural […]
CEC’s Work on Addressing the Impact of Extreme Heat Events (2015–2018)
Syndromic surveillance is a tool and approach that provides public health professionals with a “timely system for detecting, understanding, and monitoring health events” [CDC 2023]. By using real-time (or near real-time) rediagnostic data (gathered from sources as diverse as triage reports, telehealth lines, and ambulance cards) and statistical tools to detect unusual health patterns, syndromic […]
CEC’s Work on Stimulating Uptake of ISO 50001 Energy Efficiency Standard (2015–2018)
Between 2015 and 2018, the Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC) implemented two projects aimed to “position ISO 50001 and the Superior Energy Performance (SEP) program as key mechanisms to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improve energy management, increase energy efficiency, reduce energy costs, and improve competitiveness in select North American industrial sectors” [CEC 2023]. Designed through a CEC-industry partnership cost-sharing strategy, the first project [Accelerating Adoption of ISO 50001 and Superior Energy Performance Program Certification in North America (2015–2016)]—was launched with a budget of C$300,000. The project focused on building capacity in three directions: establishing common requirements for Certified Practitioners in Energy Management Systems (CP EnMS), piloting an end-user cohort-training model, and developing training materials and tools.
Submissions on Enforcement Matters: What Have We Learned?
This report assesses the performance and impact of the Submissions on Enforcement Matters (SEM) process from 1994 through 2021. The SEM process allows persons and nongovernmental organizations to file submissions with the Commission for Environmental Cooperation asserting that Canada, the United States of America, or Mexico is failing to effectively enforce its environmental laws and […]
Long-term Impact Assessment of the North American Partnership for Environmental Community Action (NAPECA) Grant Program
In 2010, the CEC Council decided to establish a new grant program, the North American Partnership for Environmental Community Action (NAPECA), to promote model environmental initiatives that use innovation and flexibility to help build long-term partnerships that would improve environmental conditions at the community, Indigenous, local, and regional levels. This grant program also had the […]
Youth Innovation Challenge 2017-2022
Since 2017, the Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC) has hosted an annual Youth Innovation Challenge (YIC) that invites youth from Canada, Mexico and the United States to submit their innovative ideas and solutions for improving both the environment and the economy in North America. The prize includes seed funding for their enterprise and offers networking opportunities. Since 2020, a one-year mentorship program has also been included as part of the prize. Overall, the competition serves as an opportunity to support and highlight innovative solutions.
Big Bend-Río Bravo Collaboration for Transboundary Landscape Conservation
From 2011 to 2015, the Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC) conducted the project Big Bend-Río Bravo Collaboration for Transboundary Landscape Conservation. Its objective was “conserving the unique biological diversity in the Big Bend-Río Bravo region of Mexico and the United States, using sound scientific data on challenges to ecosystem resilience to address the region’s growing […]
Long-term Impact Assessment of the CEC’s Work to Support AirNow-International
AirNow-International (AirNow-I) is a system that allows government agencies and organizations to collect, process, exchange, and communicate air quality observations and forecasts in real-time. With the goal of improving decision-making related to public health, AirNow-I also contributes to increased public engagement on air quality issues. Between 2010 and 2015, the Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC) […]
Long-term Impact Assessment of CEC’s Work on Forest Carbon (2013–2017)
The forests of North America play an important role in the global greenhouse gas balance by removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, storing it as “forest carbon” in forest ecosystems. Between 2013 and 2017, the Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC) invested C$770,000 in two 2-year projects focused on generating scientific information to improve our understanding […]
Long-term Impact Assessment of the Sound Management of Hazardous Waste Work (1996–2014)
CEC’s work on hazardous waste management spanned 18 years and included the following initiatives: Training and consolidating information-sharing among customs agencies regarding the illegal trade in environmentally regulated hazardous waste materials; Creating a series of comprehensive documents detailing the laws, regulations, trade patterns and enforcement experiences applicable to particular sectors; Developing technical guidelines and compiling […]
Long-term Impact Assessment of the North American Pollutant Release and Transfer Register Initiative (1995–2015)
The North American Pollutant Release and Transfer Register (NAPRTR) Initiative originates from a commitment of Canada, Mexico and the United States under the North American Agreement on Environmental Cooperation (NAAEC) to enhance the quality and comparability of PRTR data across the region, through improvements in methodologies for data gathering and management, electronic communications, and analyses, […]
Long-term Impact Assessment of the North American Environmental Atlas and the North American Land Change Monitoring System (1996–2016)
Because our environment does not end at the border, the CEC has developed over the last 22 years a unique framework that harmonizes geographic information in a seamless manner across North America’s political boundaries. Its North American Environmental Atlas aims at better monitoring environmental trends and land-cover changes in the region.