Introducing the 1996 Annual Program

Pending approval of the full document, the Secretariat is making available to the public a copy of the introduction of the Annual Program and an Annual Program at a Glance table.

The complete document will be made available to the public once it is approved.

The Secretariat is pleased to submit the 1996 Annual Program and Budget for review and approval by Council. The 1996 CEC Annual Program and Budget (AP96) takes into account the recommendations made by the Parties to the NAAEC, the Joint Public Advisory Committee (JPAC) and the general public, as expressed during the 1994 and 1995 meetings of the CEC Council. This program builds on the information, understanding and cooperative efforts of the CEC’s first full year, and responds to clearly-identified priority environmental issues in North America.

In assembling the 1996 Annual Program, the Secretariat sought to ensure that all CEC activities complement existing efforts, both governmental and non-governmental, in North America and in the international arena. To this end, the CEC has leveraged efforts with institutions already working on priority North American environmental issues. These institutions helped identify where and in what ways the CEC could fill gaps or add value.

The Council meeting in Oaxaca (October 1995) resulted in the adoption of a number of significant decisions ranging from an important agreement committing the Parties to phase out selected persistent organic pollutants to a statement of intent to cooperate on Climate Change and Joint Implementation (see Annex 1). During this meeting, the Council also decided to create the North American Environment Fund to grant resources to community-based organizations and NGO’s for the purpose of directly engaging the energy and imagination of the people of North America in achieving the goals and objectives of the NAAEC.

At the same meeting, the Council pledged its continued support for four priority areas which, along with meeting the basic obligations designated by the NAAEC, form the basis for the Secretariat’s work in 1996:

• Habitat and Species Protection
• Reducing Risk to Human Health
• Climate Change and Energy Efficiency
• North American Greenlane

The projects related to Enforcement Cooperation and Law are aimed at promoting timely cooperation on the development and implementation of effective enforcement programs in the three countries members of NAFTA, while fostering a cross-border dialogue which will lead to a greater understanding of the legal framework in each country and how the NAFTA partners can learn from each other’s experiences. The CEC is also continuing to develop a process and methodology for assessing NAFTA’s environmental effects through exhaustive and broad multi-stakeholder consultation.

Specific obligations under the NAAEC will also continue to constitute an important component of the Secretariat’s operations. Responding to citizen submissions on enforcement matters under Articles 14 and 15, preparation of Secretariat Reports under Article 13, assisting the Free Trade Commission and NAFTA Committees with environment related trade issues (NAAEC, Article 10), preparation of the CEC Annual Report and of the North American State of the Environment Report (in 1997) are all integral tasks of the CEC’s 1996 activities and will be key to consolidating the role of the CEC vis à vis the North American context.

The CEC Annual Program reflects a new approach to environmental problem-solving: practical and result-oriented regional cooperation. Greater regional cooperation will contribute towards avoiding disputes between the NAFTA countries and leveling the playing field for fairer trade. In a broad sense, the 1996 Annual Program puts into practice the CEC mission: to facilitate cooperation between the NAFTA partners to protect the environment, enforce existing environmental laws and promote public participation so that efforts to improve economic prosperity in North America are enriched by sound and viable environmental practices. Looking beyond 1996, the Secretariat has produced a three-year Strategic Program Framework, endorsed by the CEC Council in Oaxaca, Mexico (see Annex 2).