Commission for Environmental Cooperation facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Commission for Environmental Cooperation

Abbreviation	CEC CCA CCE
Formation	1994
Headquarters	700 de la Gauchetière St. West, Suite 1620
Location	Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Membership	Canada  Mexico  United States
Executive Director	Jorge Daniel Taillant

The Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC) is an important group that helps Canada, Mexico, and the United States work together on environmental issues. It was created in 1994 to make sure that as these countries traded more, they also protected the environment.

The CEC's main goal is to encourage cooperation and public involvement. This helps protect and improve the environment across North America. They want to make sure the environment is healthy for people now and in the future.

How the CEC Started and Works

The Commission for Environmental Cooperation was set up in 1994. This happened under an agreement called the North American Agreement on Environmental Cooperation (NAAEC). This agreement was made at the same time as the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).

The NAAEC showed that these three countries wanted to protect the environment while also growing their economies. The United States especially wanted to make sure that increased trade would not harm the environment.

The CEC was the first international environmental group created alongside a trade agreement. It is the only organization that checks how trade affects the environment in North America.

The CEC has three main parts: the Council, the Secretariat, and the Joint Public Advisory Committee.

The CEC Council

The Council is the main decision-making body of the CEC. It includes the top environmental leaders from each country. These are the Canadian Minister of Environment and Climate Change, Mexico's Secretary of Environment and Natural Resources, and the Administrator of the US Environmental Protection Agency.

The Council meets at least once a year. They decide the CEC's overall plans, including its budget and activities. They can also create smaller groups to help with specific tasks.

CEC Council Members
Country	Representative	Title
Canada	Steven Guilbeault	Minister of Environment and Climate Change
Mexico	Alicia Bárcena	Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources
United States	Michael S. Regan	Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency

The Secretariat

The CEC Secretariat is located in Montreal, Canada. This part of the CEC carries out projects approved by the Council. It also handles complaints about environmental law enforcement.

The Joint Public Advisory Committee

The Joint Public Advisory Committee (JPAC) is made up of fifteen citizens. Five members come from each of the three countries. JPAC gives advice to the Council on environmental cooperation matters. They also provide information to the CEC Secretariat.

These volunteer citizens bring different experiences and ideas to the committee. In 2015, the CEC also created a group of experts on Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK). This group helps find ways to use traditional knowledge in the CEC's work. Since 2017, this TEK Expert Group reports directly to the CEC Council.

Working Together for the Environment

The CEC's plans for working together are set out in its Strategic Plan. The CEC Strategic Plan 2015–2020 focused on three main areas:

• Dealing with Climate change
• Promoting "Green Growth" (economic growth that is good for the environment)
• Creating Sustainable Communities and Ecosystems

Every two years, the CEC updates its Operational Plans. These plans explain how the goals of the Strategic Plan will be achieved through specific projects. They also show the budget for these activities.

Helping Communities with Environmental Action

In 2010, the CEC started a program called the North American Partnership for Environmental Community Action (NAPECA). This program gives grants to communities. These grants help local groups solve environmental problems in their areas. NAPECA aims to support smaller organizations that work directly with communities. The focus is on creating sustainable communities and urban projects.

Useful Tools and Information

The CEC provides many resources to help people learn about environmental issues.

Publications

The CEC has an online library of its published work. This includes reports and research on environmental policy in North America. Anyone can easily access these materials.

Pollutant Release and Transfer Register

The North American PRTR Project collects and shares information about toxic substances. This includes where they come from, how much is released, and how they are handled. Data comes from over 35,000 industrial facilities in Canada, the United States, and Mexico.

The main results of this project are Taking Stock Online and the annual Taking Stock report. Taking Stock Online is a website with a searchable database of pollution information. Users can create charts and download data to explore industrial pollution across North America.

North American Environmental Atlas

The North American Environmental Atlas combines environmental data from all three countries. This allows people to see environmental issues that cross borders, like pollution or wildlife habitats. Scientists and mapmakers from various agencies in each country create the maps and information. All the maps and data are available online for free.

Complaints About Environmental Law Enforcement

The NAAEC agreement has a special way for people to report if a country is not enforcing its environmental laws. Any non-governmental organization or person in North America can file a complaint. This process can lead to a detailed report called a "factual record." These reports are researched by independent experts.

In the past, these complaints have led to better environmental protection. They have also resulted in changes to laws and policies, and increased budgets for environmental enforcement.

Here is a list of factual records published since 1996:

Independent Reports from the Secretariat

The CEC Secretariat can also write its own reports on environmental topics. These reports are shared with the three countries and the public. They can cover issues not part of the regular plans and help guide future work of the CEC.

Since 1994, the CEC Secretariat has published several important reports:

See also

• International Joint Commission