Commission for Environmental Cooperation

Media Release

Join the CEC’s Governing Council in Mexico City on 24-25 June 2019

Register today for the 2019 Regular Session, focused on Circular Economy and Resource Efficiency, and join in celebrating the 25 years of the CEC

Montreal, 22 May 2019—The Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC) invites the public to join the annual gathering of its Council, composed of the environment ministers of Canada, Mexico, and the United States.

Celebrating 25 years of North American cooperation on environmental protection, Mexico’s Secretary of Environment and Natural Resources Josefa González Blanco Ortíz Mena will host Canada’s Minister of Environment and Climate Change, Catherine McKenna, and the United States Environmental Protection Agency Administrator, Andrew Wheeler, in Mexico City on 24–25 June 2019.

The Council meets each year to assess progress on cooperation and establish shared priorities and actions for environmental cooperation in North America. This year’s Council Session will include a public meeting led by the Council on the theme of Circular Economy and Resource Efficiency, as well as presentations by the winners of the third Youth Innovation Challenge.

The public is invited to participate in the following events:

  • June 24: A one-day public forum of the CEC’s Joint Public Advisory Committee (JPAC) focused on Building Disaster-Resilient Communities in North America. The JPAC forum will look at how strategic partnerships, collaborative networks, and socio-technological innovation are being utilized for early preparedness and effective response to extreme weather challenges faced by communities across North America
  • June 24: An opening event and welcoming reception
  • June 24-25: Two exhibitions, one highlighting key actions during the 25 years of the CEC and the other showcasing the CEC’s current work to protect and enhance North America’s environment
  • June 25: A Dialogue with the Council on Circular Economy and Resource Efficiency, and presentations by the North American winners of this year’s CEC Youth Innovation Challenge

Participation at the 2019 CEC Council Session and Joint Public Advisory Committee forum is open to the public and free of charge. Space is limited and all participants must register online in advance at <www.cec.org/Council2019>.

Simultaneous interpretation to English, French and Spanish is available. Limited financial assistance is available for travel and lodging and may be requested (via the online registration form) before 24 May 2019.  For more information, please contact jpac@cec.org.

Participate Virtually – Join the Live Broadcast and Online Discussions

If you cannot attend the CEC Council Session and JPAC forum in person, you can participate in parts of the meeting online via Facebook Live or webcast.

Send in questions and comments on social media via our Facebook page or Twitter using the handle (@CECweb) or the hashtag #MexicoCity2019. You can also email your questions to info@cec.org.

Council Session 2019

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.

About the CEC video