NAFTA and Conservation of Maize Diversity in Mexico
Ever since negotiations for a North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) got under way, its effect on the Mexican maize sector and the conservation of maize diversity has been a subject of debate. Our purpose in this paper is to look back at this debate and compare the facts and the forecasts.
The Conflicting Economic and Environmental Logics of North American Governance
NAFTA promised the development of a green economy throughout North America. Provisions against downward harmonization, the respect for state autonomy in environmental regulation, and the creation of the Commission for Environmental Co-operation gave hope to North Americans that an environmentally sustainable trade regime was possible.
Open Trade With the US Without Compromising Canada’s Ability to Comply With Its Kyoto Target
The U.S. and Canada are two important partners of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). Canada, together with most industrialized countries, has ratified the Kyoto Protocol and begins implementing domestic policy measures aimed at meeting its legally binding Kyoto emissions target.
The Economic and Environmental Impacts of Agricultural Subsidies
International trade policies and government intervention through subsidies and indirect forms of support influence agricultural production choices such as type of crop or livestock, mode (technology and inputs), and quantity. Such trends can result in global effects in trade level, industry structure, and production location, which in turn may affect the state of the environment. Recently, the adoption of the US Farm Bill and the launch of negotiations on agriculture in the Doha Round has brought the issue of agricultural subsidies to the forefront of trade policy discussions.
Agricultural Trade Liberalization and the Environment in North America
The two most important regional or multilateral trade liberalization agreements in agriculture thus far, the Uruguay Round Agreement and the North American Free Trade Agreement have now been implemented for eight and nine years, respectively.
Energy Use in the Cement Industry in North America
This paper examines issues related to the use of energy inputs in the manufacture of cement clinker and cement in Mexico, Canada and the US since implementation of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) in 1994.
Invasive Species, Agriculture and Trade
Invasions by plants, animals, and pathogens into non-native environments pose one of the most significant, but least addressed, international threats to biodiversity, both within natural ecosystems and agricultural settings. For agriculture, one recent study estimates that 40% of all insect damage to crops in the U.S. is attributable to non-indigenous species (Pimentel et al. 2000). […]
Aquifers and Agrochemicals in a Border Region
The implementation of the North American Free Trade Agreement has markedly revitalized the framework of relations between Mexico and the United States. Among the major topics in the complex bilateral agenda are issues related to trade between the two countries, and also the impact of market liberalization on the present and future state of environmental sustainability.
Local Environmental Protection and Trade
Environmental concerns have been voiced with the expansion of trade under the NAFTA. A number of approaches have been suggested to ensure that the environment is protected under the agreement. These suggests, for the most part, fall into two broad categories: (1) command and control or (2) industry lead voluntary business initiatives. Each of these broad categories has its own set of advantages and disadvantages to provide the necessary incentives for producers to incorporate the environment into their production decisions.
Green Procurement
Many organizations worldwide are making an effort to purchase products and services that are less harmful to local and global environments. Both public and private sector organizations in North America are implementing purchasing practices that include environmental (and social) considerations-green procurement. These activities are part of a broader movement toward more sustainable forms of production […]
Draft Options for a CEC Role in the Sustainable Use and Conservation of Freshwater in North America
At the 2001 CEC Council session, the environmental ministers of Canada, Mexico and the United States agreed to undertake an initiative to analyze issues related to “local water pricing and watershed management, and promote accessible, affordable technologies for improving water management.” In response to the Council’s initiative, the Secretariat initiated, as part of its 2002 […]
Understanding and Anticipating Environmental Change in North America
The focus of this report, and the background papers and analyses on which it draws, is how best to examine the environmental effects of trade on Canada, Mexico and the United States, the three signatories to the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).