Media Release

Help shape the CEC’s work for the next two years

JPAC calls for comments on draft 2013–2014 CEC cooperative work program

Montreal, 16 May 2013 —The Joint Public Advisory Committee (JPAC) of the Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC) is requesting public input on the CEC’s draft cooperative work program for 2013-2014.

This program will serve as the basis of the CEC’s next two-year Operational Plan, which will outline trilateral projects to protect and enhance the North American environment under strategic priorities established by the CEC Council—the federal environment ministers or their equivalent of Canada, Mexico and the United States.

The JPAC-led review of this draft cooperative work program is intended to be transparent and accessible and all comments will be posted on the CEC website. Your comments are important and appreciated. JPAC members will take into consideration comments from the public as part of their advice to the CEC Council.

Following the public review, the CEC Council will meet in Los Cabos, Baja California, Mexico, on 10-11 July, where its collaborative vision for the next two years will be announced. You can join that discussion in person in Los Cabos or via live webcast.

The deadline to provide written comments is 14 June 2013, using the online form on the CEC website, where you can also find the following documents:

Draft project descriptions and budget for 2013–2014

Strategic Plan of the Commission for Environmental Cooperation 2010–2015

CEC Public Consultation Guidelines

For more information about the call for comments or participating in the upcoming JPAC and Council meetings, contact JPAC Liaison Officer Marcela Orozco at morozco@cec.org. The project descriptions are currently available only in English. We will send an update as soon as Spanish and French versions are posted to the web site.

Be sure to follow us on Facebook (www.facebook.org/CECconnect) and Twitter @CECweb, where you can get updates, ask questions, or share your comments and ideas.

About the CEC

The Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC) is an intergovernmental organization that supports the cooperative environmental agenda of Canada, Mexico and the United States to green North America’s economy, address climate change by promoting a low-carbon economy, and protect its environment and the health of its citizens. The CEC is composed of three bodies: a Council, representing the governments of the three member countries, a Joint Public Advisory Committee (JPAC) that advises the Council and serves as a liaison with the public, and a Secretariat that supports the Council and JPAC and prepares independent reports. The CEC brings together governments, civil society, and businesses to develop innovative North American solutions to global environmental challenges. Find out more at: www.cec.org.

About the CEC

The Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC) was established in 1994 by the governments of Canada, Mexico and the United States through the North American Agreement on Environmental Cooperation, a parallel environmental agreement to NAFTA. As of 2020, the CEC is recognized and maintained by the Environmental Cooperation Agreement, in parallel with the new Free Trade Agreement of North America. The CEC brings together a wide range of stakeholders, including the general public, Indigenous people, youth, nongovernmental organizations, academia, and the business sector, to seek solutions to protect North America’s shared environment while supporting sustainable development for the benefit of present and future generations

The CEC is governed and funded equally by the Government of Canada through Environment and Climate Change Canada, the Government of the United States of Mexico through the Secretaría de Medio Ambiente y Recursos Naturales, and the Government of the United States of America through the Environmental Protection Agency.

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