Mapping Our Shared Environment
The North American Environmental Atlas combines and harmonizes geospatial data from Canada, Mexico and the United States to allow for a continental and regional perspective on environmental issues that cross boundaries. It is a unique tool to analyze and raise awareness of our shared environment and ecosystems across the continent, to demonstrate their value, and to help us see what needs to be done to protect them.
The dozens of map layers of the Atlas are unique in that they harmonize geographic information across North America’s political boundaries. By comparing these map layers, we can better understand and quantify critical trends and interrelationships at the North American level.
Explore this interactive story for a better understanding of how the Atlas can be useful to you.
Explore more than one thousand publications and articles that utilized data from the North American Environmental Atlas.
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Keywords
Map Type
Map Files
Precipitation (1950-2000) – Annual
2011
Climate
North American Forests, 2011
2011
Ecoregions
The North American Forest map shows the distribution of eighteen different primary ecological zones pertaining to forest systems within Canada, Mexico, and the United States.
Bathymetry, 2006
2011
Water
This North American Atlas base layer shows the depth in meters for ocean areas covered by the extent of the North American Atlas.
Glaciers and Sea Ice, 2004
2011
Climate
This North American Atlas base layer shows areas of permanent ice found on the North America landmass including Greenland, areas of land found within glaciers, as well as the approximate extent of marine areas in the Arctic covered by permanent polar ice.
Watersheds
2011
Water
This map shows the major North American drainage basins, or watersheds, which drain into the Atlantic Ocean, Hudson Bay, the Arctic Ocean, the Pacific Ocean, the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea.
Major Roads, 2009
2011
Humans, Transportation
This North American Atlas base layer shows the roads of North America at 1:10,000,000 scale.
Populated Places, 2009
2011
Humans
This North American Atlas base layer shows a selection of named populated places suitable for use at a scale of 1:10,000,000.
Railroads, 2009
2011
Humans, Transportation
This North American Atlas base layer shows the railroads of North America.
Nighttime Lights
2010
Humans
This map is an image of nighttime lights of North America, including the Caribbean and Mexico.
Priority Conservation Areas: Grasslands, 2010
2010
Biodiversity
This map shows the grasslands priority conservation areas (GPCAs) within North America's Central Grasslands, an ecosystem considered among the most threatened in the continent and the world.
2006 Pollutant Releases and Transfers (PRTR) Reporting Facilities
2010
Pollutants
This map shows the locations of about 35,000 industrial facilities in North America that reported on releases or transfers of pollutants in 2006.
Estimated Freight Railroad CO2 Emissions along the Mexico City to Montreal Transportation Corridor, 2010
2010
Climate, Pollutants, Transportation
This map shows the estimated annual freight railroad CO2 emissions for the year 2010 along the Mexico City to Montreal transportation corridor.
Tools
Map Viewer
The North American Environmental Atlas map viewer provides access to several data layers, including terrestrial and marine ecosystems as well as human influence.
MapMonday
From tracking Uber orders in Montreal to understanding the effect of coastal farming activity in Sinaloa, Mexico– maps help us navigate and understand the world around us.
North American Land Change Monitoring System
A collaborative initiative between Canada, Mexico, and the United States to monitor land cover - the observed physical cover on the surface of the Earth - and its change over time.
Publications
Marine Ecoregions of North America
A book that celebrates the richness and wealth of our region’s common ocean and coastal...
Because our environment does not end at the border, the CEC has developed over the last 22 years a unique framework...
Integrated Modeling and Assessment of North American Forest Carbon Dynamics Technical Report
Tools for monitoring, reporting and projecting forest greenhouse gas emissions and removals
GIS Updates
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Contact
Questions about the North American Environmental Atlas? Contact:
Dominique Croteau
Project Lead, Geospatial and Environmental Information
(514) 350-4307