In the Spotlight
CEC Publishes Factual Record on the Effective Enforcement of Environmental Law Regarding the North Atlantic Right Whale Submission
Tiohtià:ke (Montreal), 6 January 2026—On 19 December 2025, the Secretariat of the Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC) published the factual record regarding submission SEM-21-003 (North Atlantic right whale) filed by Oceana (“Submitter”), who asserted that the United States is failing to effectively enforce its environmental laws to protect the North Atlantic right whale (Eubalaena glacialis) from collisions with ships, known as “vessel strikes,” and from entanglement in commercial fishing gear.
Topics
Climate Change
Supporting emissions reduction and helping communities adapt to extreme weather events
Environmental Justice
The pursuit of environmental justice (EJ) aims to address historical inequities, marginalization and discrimination in how environmental benefits and burdens are enjoyed or suffered by certain communities.
Ecosystems
Working with communities to conserve and restore North America's terrestrial and marine ecosystems and priority species
Enforcement
Supporting enforcement and compliance with domestic environmental law and with multilateral environmental agreements
Sustainable Living and Economies
Advancing the sustainability of our economic activities and life choices by identifying and fostering alternatives that effectively integrate the environmental, social and economic dimensions for a just and resilient North America
Pollutants
Promoting clean air, water and land through prevention, reductions, and sound management of pollutant releases, toxic chemicals and hazardous waste
Youth Engagement
Over the years, the CEC has been committed to youth engagement and the efforts supported have provided youth with opportunities to raise awareness, provide tangible, sustainable, and innovative solutions for environmental issues in their communities, and influence CEC’s strategies, projects, and initiatives.
Indigenous Affairs
The Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC) recognizes the essential role that Indigenous Peoples and local communities play in environmental stewardship across Turtle Island, Madre Tierra, also known as North America.
Featured Project
Stimulating Behavioral Changes to Reduce Food Loss and Waste (FLW) in North America and Expanded Promotion and Uptake of Related CEC FLW Resources
2024 Active Sustainable Living and Economies
Featured Publication
NALCMS — The North American Land Change Monitoring System
A trinational collaboration of more than 21 million square kilometers
July 22, 2024 50 pages Climate Change Ecosystems
Initiatives generating land cover information from geospatial data exist at various levels, from national to global. However, depending on user needs, one initiative might be more useful than another. What about regional or continental initiatives? They are less frequent because they often require direct cooperation between different national initiatives, and this involves long-term coordination and commitments among governmental agencies from different countries. This is why the North American Land Change Monitoring System (NALCMS) is a unique initiative whose story of collaboration is showcased in this publication to inform others around the world who might also need mid-level land cover initiatives to bridge the gap between national and global ones.
This document serves as a reference companion to the CEC’s NALCMS digital map products. It provides background information on the NALCMS initiative (history, collaborative process, land cover products creation and validation process, etc.) in an accessible way for generalist researchers, and NALCMS map products data users. It also highlights the nearly 20-year partnership between the CEC and experts from our countries’ environmental mapping and statistics agencies.
Work With Us
Fast Mitigation Strategies for Short-lived Climate Pollutants
Consultant Opportunities
Deadline: January 16, 2026 5:00pm
Salary/Budget: The budget for this activity will not exceed C$150,000 (Canadian dollars), including professional fees and expenses.
Location: The consultants will work in their own offices.
What We Do
We conduct research, provide tools and training, and provide a unique space for decision-makers and the public to engage on environmental policy issues affecting the North American region.