In the Spotlight
Join the Monarch Blitz’s 10th Anniversary: Every Observation Matters
Tiohtià:ke (Montreal), 23 July 2026—The International Monarch Monitoring Blitz is just around the corner! From 31 July to 9 August 2026, we invite everyone across North America to head outside and search for monarch butterflies and milkweed plants.
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. Our work is organized around four main areas:
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.
Private Sector Engagement
The private sector plays a critical role in driving economic prosperity, innovation and sustainable development.
Featured Project
Scoping: Uptake of Best Practices for Environmentally Sound Management of Spent Lead-Acid Batteries
Spent lead-acid batteries (SLABs) are one of the largest sources of lead for industrial reuse in North America, but their recycling can release toxic emissions if not managed properly. Previous work by the CEC has helped identify levels of environmental and health protection, as well as regulatory frameworks across the...
Featured Publication
CEC’s Work on Stimulating Uptake of ISO 50001 Energy Efficiency Standard (2015–2018)
Long-term Impact Assessment
Between 2015 and 2018, the Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC) implemented two projects aimed to “position ISO 50001 and the Superior Energy Performance (SEP) program as key mechanisms to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improve energy management, increase energy efficiency, reduce energy costs, and improve competitiveness in select North American industrial sectors” [CEC 2023]. Designed through a CEC-industry partnership cost-sharing strategy, the first project [Accelerating Adoption of ISO 50001 and Superior Energy Performance Program Certification in North America (2015–2016)]—was launched with a budget of C$300,000. The project focused on building capacity in three directions: establishing common requirements for Certified Practitioners in Energy Management Systems (CP EnMS), piloting an end-user cohort-training model, and developing training materials and tools.
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.