Event
24th Regular Session of the CEC Council and Meeting of the Joint Public Advisory Committee (JPAC)
Where:
UPEI School of Sustainable Design Engineering
550 University Ave
Charlottetown, PE C1A 4P3
Canada
When:
27 and 28 June, 2017
Participation at the 2017 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.
On June 27 and 28, the Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC) invites the general public to join the annual gathering of its governing body, the Council of the federal environment ministers of Canada, Mexico, and the United States. To mark Canada’s 150th anniversary, the 2017 CEC Council Session will take place in the birthplace of Canadian Confederation: Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island.
The public is encouraged to participate in the following events:
- Let’s Talk Innovation, an engagement with the registered participants on “Innovation for clean growth in North America” on the afternoon of June 28.
- Connecting Communities for a #HealthyFuture: An Interactive Exhibit will give the public the opportunity to learn more about the Commission’s work to protect and enhance North America’s environment.
- A one-day public forum of the CEC Joint Public Advisory Committee (JPAC) will be held prior to the Council Session, on June 27, in which North American coastal, shoreline, and riverbank communities share their innovative local solutions to the environmental challenges they face.
Participation at the 2017 CEC Council Session and Joint Public Advisory Committee forum is open to the public and free of charge. Participants must register in advance by 5 p.m. on Sunday, June 25.
Simultaneous translation to English, French and Spanish is available for in person and online participants.
Council 2017
Provisional Agenda
Tuesday, 27 June 2017
Increasing Resilience through Cooperation: Empowering Coastal, Shoreline, and Riverbank Communities in North America
(Atlantic Time)
Registration of Participants – Foyer
Opening and Introductory Remarks, by Eric Dannenmaier, JPAC Chair– Lecture Room #128A-B
Keynote Presentation by Robert Mitchell, Minister of Communities, Land and Environment, Government of Prince Edward Island
Panel 1 – Sustainable and innovative water-related businesses: Benefiting local economies while protecting the environment
Sustainable water-related businesses and activities have shown a high potential for long-term growth and local employment. This panel will discuss opportunities for supporting local development while at the same time protecting the environment and its natural resources. It will highlight activities from the private sector, including aquaculture and sustainable tourism, as well as organizations focusing on revitalizing local economies and neighborhoods.
Moderator: Sabaa Khan, JPAC member
Facilitated discussion among JPAC members, panelists and audience (in person and online)
Break
Panel 2 – Increasing resilience through cooperation: Replicating innovative local solutions to environmental security challenges – Lecture Room #128A-B
Waterside communities are faced with increased environmental security challenges. This panel will present and discuss local solutions to these risks while allowing the public to also share their knowledge of similar experiences. This dialogue will help advance potential innovations that can lead to increased resilience of North American communities.
Moderator: Gustavo Alanís-Ortega, JPAC member
Kerry-Ann Charles, Environmental Coordinator, Chippewas of Georgina Island First Nation
Teresa Crean, Coastal Research Associate - Community Planning and Coastal Resilience, Coastal Resources Center, University of Rhode Island
Facilitated discussion among JPAC members, panelists and audience (in person and online)
Lunch [provided] – Lobby Area
Panel 3 – Sustainable economic growth on the water’s edge: Protecting water-based jobs and communities through water-based conservation – Lecture Room #128A-B
Social and economic development are advanced when natural resources are secured through policies that promote conservation and sustainable yield. This panel will discuss some of the environmental challenges faced by communities living near the water and offer successful case studies that might serve as models to help other North American communities facing similar issues.
Moderator: Octaviana Trujillo, JPAC member
Frédéric Thalasso Siret, Researcher, Department of Biotechnology, Center for Research and Advanced Studies of the National Polytechnic Institute (Cinvestav)
Howard A. Learner, President & Executive Director, Environmental Law and Policy Center (ELPC)
Facilitated discussion among JPAC members, panelists and audience (in person and online)
Update on Submissions on Enforcement Matters
Report from the National and Governmental Advisory Committee Representatives
Presentation, by Fatou Ndoye, Acting Regional Director, UN Environment Regional Office for North America
Closing Remarks and Session Adjournment, by Eric Dannenmaier, JPAC Chair
2017 CEC Council Session Welcoming Reception (open to registered participants) – Greenwich, Prince Edward Island (PEI) National Park
Wednesday, 28 June 2017
Innovation Jam Session with North American Youth
This intergenerational workshop is an opportunity to come up with solution-focused actions that will maximize youth engagement and contribution in solving the complex sustainability issues currently facing North America. The CEC will solicit public input on tangible ways to engage youth on issues like food waste reduction and recovery and reducing marine litter. The session will be facilitated by Eric Dannenmaier, chair of the CEC Joint Public Advisory Committee (JPAC) and Meredith Adler, JPAC member.
Public visit - Connecting Communities for a #HealthyFuture: An Interactive Exhibit
Break
Lunch (provided)
Let’s Talk Innovation – 2017 CEC Council Public Session – Lecture Room #128A-B
Presentations from winners of the CEC Youth Innovation Challenge:
- Vanessa Fiore and Adam Wali, Canada: Small Scale Waste to Energy
- Ernesto Alonso, Tilo Daniel Hernández Cadena and José Luis Hernández García, Mexico: ROCAPET - Sustainable Structural Concrete
- Kristian Krugman and Reyanne Mustafa, United States: Restaurant Waste to Superfood Powder
Engagement with registered participants on “Innovation for clean growth in North America”