Banff, 28/06/1999 – Banff, Alberta, 28 June 1999The environment ministers of
Canada, Mexico and the United States today directed the Commission for Environmental
Cooperation (CEC) to develop an action plan to reduce the presence in the environment of
the highly toxic substances dioxins and furans, and hexachlorobenzene, to further protect
human health and the environment in North America. The decision was one of a number of
initiatives announced by the Council of the CEC as it wrapped up its Sixth Session in
Banff today.
In other decisions, the Council gave the CEC the green light to launch
the North American Bird Conservation Initiative (NABCI) to protect critical bird habitat
across the continent, and to develop an implementation strategy to protect the upper San
Pedro River, one of North America's most important migratory bird corridors.
The CEC Council members are Canadian Environment Minister Christine S.
Stewart, Mexican Secretary for the Environment, Natural Resources, and Fisheries, Julia
Carabias Lillo, and US Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Carol M. Browner. The
Council meets at least once a year to review and direct the program activities of the
Commission and to receive public input and advice from the Joint Public Advisory Committee
(JPAC) and other stakeholders.
The Council acknowledged and thanked the Joint Public Advisory
Committee for the important contribution it has made in engaging the public and a variety
of stakeholders in the work of the CEC and bringing their views to the attention of the
Council.
The success of this meeting was evidenced by the following agreements
and work:
Sound Management of Chemicals
In announcing the development of a North American Regional Action Plan
(NARAP) to reduce releases into the environment of dioxins and furans, and
hexachlorobenzene, the Council reaffirmed its commitment to reduce chemical pollutants
affecting the health of their citizens, particularly children.
Minimizing exposure to dioxins and furans will reduce the risk of
cancer and damage to immune, neural, endocrine and reproductive systems. Similarly, taking
action on hexachlorobenzene will reduce the health risks to breast-fed infants in certain
populations heavily dependent on fish.
The Council also agreed to develop an environmental monitoring and
assessment action plan in support of the sound management of chemicals. The Council
emphasized the importance of monitoring to improve the relevance, reliability and
comparability of environmental information as the basis for decision making, and
underscored the critical role of building human, technical and institutional capacity at
national and community levels to implement NARAPs and improve the management of chemicals
in general.
Strengthening Environment and Trade Relationships
The Council reaffirmed the importance of working together to make trade
and environment mutually supportive. It announced the first ever North American Symposium
on Understanding the Linkages between Trade and Environment, to be held in October 2000.
In preparation for the conference, the Council released a "Final Analytical Framework
for Assessing the Environmental Effects of NAFTA" and issued a call for papers
encouraging academics, researchers and policy experts to test the NAFTA effects framework
for specific situations.
The Council noted that the discussions between trade and environment
officials on Article 10(6) of the North American Agreement on Environmental Cooperation
(NAAEC) have been very useful in elaborating the operational relationship between the CEC
and the FTC. Trade and environment officials have also been discussing areas of future
joint work with regard to the environment, economy and trade. The Council emphasized the
importance of this work and encouraged the ongoing process to move forward.
The Council recognizes the sovereign right of governments to legislate
in the area of the environment. The Council fully supports and encourages the Free Trade
Commission (FTC) to continue discussions on NAFTA Chapter 11 (relating to the
investor-state dispute settlement process). The Council offers to provide any assistance
required by the FTC.
Promoting Effective Enforcement and Compliance
The Council agreed on revised guidelines for submissions on enforcement
matters under Article 14 of the NAAEC, governing submissions by the public asserting that
a Party to the agreement is failing in the effective enforcement of its environmental law.
Transboundary Environmental Impact Assessment
The Council discussed in depth the difficulties facing negotiators in
concluding an agreement on transboundary environmental impact assessment because of the
differences in the environmental management systems of the three countries. Council
members agreed to work with their respective negotiators and individual border states and
provinces to build "good neighbor" agreements based on reciprocity. The goal is
to ensure transparency and participation in the processes for proposed projects with
environmental consequences in border regions. The Council asked the Secretariat to support
the effort by collaborating with negotiators to compile as quickly as possible an
inventory of the federal, provincial and state processes and terminology involved.
Pollutant Release and Transfer Registers (PRTR)
The Council reaffirms its commitment to assure that the peoples of
North America have access to accurate information about the release and transfer of toxic
chemicals from specific facilities into and through their communities. The Council
supports the continued development and improvement of the North American PRTR system, with
a goal of mandatory reporting for all nations.
North American Bird Conservation Initiative (NABCI)
The Council approved an action plan to conserve birds and their vital
habitat through a broad range of strategies based on ecosystems across North America. This
initiative represents an unprecedented effort by over 200 public and private
organizations, agencies and groups to coordinate actions across borders to ensure the
long-term survival of more than 1,400 species of birds throughout Canada, Mexico and the
United States. This effort is the culmination of work by the CEC in identifying habitat
critical to the preservation of bird species.
Upper San Pedro River Initiative
The San Pedro River originates in Sonora, Mexico, flowing north into
Arizona in the United States. The river constitutes one of the most important North
American corridors for migratory birds traveling between Canada and Mexico, and was
highlighted by the Council in 1996 at its meeting in Toronto.
The Council voted unanimously to release Ribbon of Life, the
CEC's report on preserving transboundary bird habitat on the upper San Pedro River.
The Council commended the expert panel for preparing a science-based report, the advisory
panel for formulating pragmatic solutions in the basin, and the CEC for its successful
role in catalyzing a discussion among a diversity of stakeholders leading to a growing
number of promising state local and federal initiatives on both sides of this
transboundary watershed. The Council encouraged the CEC's continuing participation
with a view to the emergence of this initiative as a model of cooperation in the
management of transboundary resources.
The Silva Reservoir
In partnership with the CEC, the governments of Mexico and the state of
Guanajuato, and local community organizations, with the cooperation of Canada and the
United States, worked together to clean and restore the Silva Reservoir. As a result of
their actions, the local community was provided with cleaner water and an important
habitat for migratory birds was rehabilitated. The reservoir, which had been polluted by
industrial discharges, was the site of mass mortality of thousands of waterfowl in 1994.
CEC Budget and Next Meeting of the Council
The Council agreed to meet in the United States at its next regular
session in June 2000 and to fund the CEC at the level of US $9 million for the year 2000.
The Commission for Environmental Cooperation is an international
organization created under the North American Agreement on Environmental Cooperation to
address regional environmental concerns, help prevent potential trade and environmental
conflicts, and promote effective enforcement of environmental law. The CEC mission
underscores the importance of public participation to foster conservation of the North
American environment.
For more information, contact Corrie Castelló at the CEC Secretariat: (514) 350-4300
(telephone), (514) 350-4314 (Fax). The CEC's web site can be found at http://www.cec.org
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