Collaborative environmental work connecting science, justice, and sustainability

COMMISSION FOR ENVIRONMENTAL COOPERATION

Three countries working together to protect our shared environment in support of sustainable development for the benefit of present and future generations.

In the Spotlight

International Monarch Monitoring Blitz

Every Observation Matters!

The International Monarch Monitoring Blitz is a community science initiative open to anyone in North America. Each year, the Monarch Blitz takes place over a 10-day period, starting on the last Friday of July and ending on the Sunday of the following week.

International Monarch Monitoring Blitz

Who we are

A unique trinational organization advancing a regional approach to environmental cooperation and creating linkages across Canada, Mexico and the United States to address emerging and complex environmental challenges.

Strengthen the protection of the environment

Foster sustainable development

Facilitate knowledge exchange

Develop tools and resources

Promote inclusive and diverse public engagement

About Us Our Impact

What we do

CEC projects bring together experts, governments and communities to share knowledge, build capacity, pilot scalable solutions and strengthen cooperation, turning shared goals into action for North America’s environment.

Areas of Work

Cross-cutting Themes

All Projects

Featured Project

Advancing Responsible Purchasing of Wood Products

2024 Active

Illegal logging, and the trade in illegally logged timber, is a domestic, regional, and global issue. It has negative economic, environmental, and social impacts, including—but not limited to—forest degradation, loss of traditional homelands for Indigenous and tribal communities, and the creation of unfair market conditions that disadvantage legal and sustainable...

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Timber

Featured Publication

Social Science Insights on Management Practices in the Central Grasslands of North America

A Literature Review

March 18, 2026 60 pages Ecosystems

The Central Grasslands of North America support critical biodiversity and human communities, yet continue to decline due to cropland conversion, climate change and other threats. This literature review synthesizes existing conservation social science research to better understand how grassland management decisions are made and how this knowledge can be more effectively integrated into conservation delivery. Using a systematic review approach, the literature review analyzes 104 sources, including peer-reviewed articles, technical reports and graduate theses, to identify common management behaviors, key factors influencing conservation decisions and barriers that limit participation.

This literature review is intended for conservation practitioners, researchers, policymakers and outreach professionals. It highlights gaps in current research, particularly the underrepresentation of Indigenous communities and marginalized voices, and emphasizes the need for more participatory, transdisciplinary approaches. The findings offer actionable insights to improve conservation program design, outreach strategies and collaboration, supporting more effective, equitable and locally grounded grassland conservation across the Central Grasslands.

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