Characterization and Management of Organic Waste in North America—White Paper
This white paper presents the findings of the Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC) project, North American Initiative on Organic Waste Diversion and Processing. It provides statistics on organic waste generation, diversion, and disposal in Canada, Mexico, and the United States and discusses the environmental benefits associated with reducing organic waste.
Characterization and Management of Organic Waste in North America—Foundational Report
Characterization and Management of Organic Waste in North America identifies challenges, opportunities and solutions related to increasing organic waste diversion and processing capacity in North America, with a focus on how to address challenges and opportunities in Canada, Mexico, and the United States, and identifies potential areas for regional cooperation. The project focuses on organic waste diversion, collection, and processing. Its scope includes organic waste generated in the residential and the industrial, commercial and institutional sectors.
Furthering the Understanding of the Migration of Chemicals from Consumer Products
Persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic (PBT) substances may occur at a global scale, which raises concerns for environmental and human health. Several perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) have been shown to exhibit such PBT properties, with potential for transboundary and long-range transport. Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoate (PFOA) are two of the most studied PFASs.
Enhancing the Alignment of North American Trade Statistics on Elemental Mercury and Mercury-added Products
This report presents an assessment of the available information on trade in mercury, mercury compounds, and certain mercury-added products among Canada, Mexico and the United States, and on primary and byproduct mercury production in North America. It describes the available databases, responsible agencies, and procedures for generating and managing the data. By identifying areas where there are gaps and limitations in available mercury trade statistics, it offers an opportunity for government officials in Canada, Mexico and the United States to improve the accuracy of mercury trade data generated within the three countries, thus allowing better tracking of these data over time.
Monitoring Monarch Butterflies and their Habitat across North America:
As part of the Commission for Environmental Cooperation’s project Monarch Butterfly Flyway: Communication, Participatory Conservation, and Education Programs throughout the Migratory Route,a workshop entitled Monitoring Monarch Butterflies and their Habitat across North America was held in Toluca, Mexico, on 4–5 March 2017.
North American Marine Protected Area Rapid Vulnerability Assessment Tool
The North American Marine Protected Area Rapid Vulnerability Assessment Tool was created to help marine protected area managers evaluate the implications of climate change for the habitats of their sites. This tool has three parts (a user guide, a set of blank worksheets, and a booklet containing sample completed worksheets) that are available as downloadable […]
North American Marine Protected Area Rapid Vulnerability Assessment Tool
The North American Marine Protected Area Rapid Vulnerability Assessment Tool was created to help marine protected area managers evaluate the implications of climate change for the habitats of their sites. This tool has three parts (a user guide, a set of blank worksheets, and a booklet containing sample completed worksheets) that are available as downloadable […]
North American Marine Protected Area Rapid Vulnerability Assessment Tool
The North American Marine Protected Area Rapid Vulnerability Assessment Tool was created to help marine protected area managers evaluate the implications of climate change for the habitats of their sites. This tool has three parts (a user guide, a set of blank worksheets, and a booklet containing sample completed worksheets) that are available as downloadable […]
Identification of Important Semipalmated Sandpiper and Red Knot Sites Along the North American Atlantic and Pacific Flyways
The inventory of key sites for Semipalmated Sandpiper and Red Knot was compiled from published information sources and publicly available databases. Once an initial inventory was compiled, it was sent for review by experts on the relevant species. Sites were then prioritized using the three levels of biological importance used by WHSRN (1, 10 and 30% of the biogeographic population). Detailed information for each site was compiled in a standard site matrix. Information on threats was gathered for all sites where a standardized threat assessment process had been undertaken. Finally, for those sites holding more than 10% of a population, local conservation leads and shorebird experts were contacted to help explore if local communities might be interested in participating in a North American network of sites to conserve shared shorebirds. Priority was given to discussing this with sites that are not already part of WHSRN.
Blue Carbon Storage Variability in Eelgrass Meadows on the Pacific Coast of Canada
Coastal marine ecosystems are recognized as highly productive systems, but their potential to store and sequester organic carbon, known as blue carbon, has largely been overlooked on the Pacific Coast of North America (Nellemann et al. 2009; McLeod et al. 2011). Vegetated coastal ecosystems, such as mangroves, salt marshes, seagrass meadows, and kelp forests are […]
Blue Carbon in Tidal Wetlands of the Pacific Coast of Canada:
Recent research has focused on the high carbon accumulation rates of coastal ecosystems, such as those of mangroves, seagrasses, and salt marshes, as a means of sequestering (blue) carbon for climate mitigation purposes. Material from dead plants and animals in salt marshes accumulates over time in low-oxygen conditions, limiting the CO2 emissions from the normal […]
Blue Carbon Seagrass Mapping in Canada and the United States: British Columbia, Washington and Oregon
Eelgrass (Zostera marina) is a seagrass and the primary rooted marine plant found in the coastal waters of the Pacific Northwest (which, for this study, will be taken as comprising the US states of Oregon and Washington, and the Canadian province of British Columbia). Unlike algae, it is a rooted plant and it traps, accumulates […]