Jul 03, 2008

The Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC) is an international organization created by Canada, Mexico and the United States under the North American Agreement on Environmental Cooperation (NAAEC). The CEC was established to address regional environmental concerns, help prevent potential trade and environmental conflicts, and to promote the effective enforcement of environmental law. The Agreement complements the environmental provisions of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).

What? There are environmental provisions in NAFTA? All right, strike the cynicism.

CEC has produced a useful and timely (and beautiful) overview of 14 key concerns regarding the North American environment:

1. Climate Change
2. Ground-Level Ozone
3. Particulate Matter
4. Stratospheric Ozone
5. Land Use
6. Oceans and Coasts
7. Invasive Species
8. Species of Common Conservation Concern
9. Acid Deposition
10. Industrial Pollution and Waste
11. Persistent Bioaccumulative Toxic Substances
12. Water Quality
13. Water Quantity and Use
14. Shared Water Resources

It's a comprehensive, well-reasoned summary of the challenges which must be faced and conquered—now—if we are not to undergo substantive and significant degradation in our standard of living.
tags: Environment | Greenhouse Gases and Global Warming | Water

Download the Report