“When Canada, Mexico, and the United States strengthened economic ties through the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), they also pledged to undertake a new environmental partnership. In 1993, the three nations signed the North American Agreement on Environmental Cooperation (NAAEC) and created the Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC). Among the objectives of the NAAEC is the building of regional cooperation for the conservation, protection and enhancement of the environment.The NAAEC also commits the Parties to the effective enforcement of their respective environmental laws, including those protecting wild flora and fauna.
In recent years the private sector has developed various types of environmental management systems (EMSs) for identifying and managing the impacts that commercial and industrial operations have on the environment. These systems primarily serve internal management purposes; however, when designed and implemented to realize their full potential, they offer opportunities for enhancing environmental protection in […]
The background papers contained in this volume were prepared by the CEC Secretariat to foster and support governmental discussions and negotiations on the development of two intertwined transboundary issues: a Transboundary Environmental Impact Assessment (TEIA) regime for North America and recommendations for the removal of barriers limiting access to courts and administrative agencies in transboundary […]
In addition to surveying North American laws and practices in the environmental impact assessment (EIA) field, this volume looks at the laws, policies and practices related to public access to environmental information. Both documents provide useful baseline information on these topics.
This report, prepared for the Commission for Environmental Cooperation, under the guidance of the North American Working Group on Environmental Enforcement and Compliance Cooperation,is intended to facilitate dialogue between United States, Mexican, and Canadian hazardous waste management officials on how best to meet the challenges of monitoring and enforcing hazardous waste regulations in the NAFTA […]
Proceedings and background papers
Flying within and among the nations of North America, migratory birds see no boundaries. They have surged northward and southward each year, long before humans populated the Americas and borders were created. These migratory species, many of them threatened or endangered, forge a fundamental ecological link between Canada, Mexico and the United States, providing a […]
The North American Agreement on Environmental Cooperation (NAAEC) [Article10(6)(d)], directs the Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC), to consider on an ongoing basis the environmental effects of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). A NAFTA Effects Project Team was assembled to assist the CEC in designing a methodology to fulfill this mandate. The following Analytic […]
This two-volume compendium contains work undertaken over the past three years by the Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC) in the areas of environmental law and policy. Most of the contributions have not previously appeared in print or else have heretofore been available only in electronic form.
This volume contains a survey of experiences of North American environmental enforcement agencies in using voluntary initiatives as a component of their environmental enforcement and compliance strategies. You will also find a report on environmental management systems, including ISO 14000, and their relationship to compliance.
In North America, we share vital natural resources, including air, oceans and rivers, mountains and forests. Together, these natural resources are the basis of a rich network of ecosystems, which sustain our livelihoods and well-being. If they are to continue being a source of future life and prosperity, these resources must be protected. This stewardship […]
