| Montreal, 2/10/1995 – The environment ministers of Canada, Mexico and the United States are meeting in Oaxaca, Mexico October 13th to put the final touches on precedent-setting regional environmental initiatives. Members of non-governmental organizations, industry, academics and other interested members of the public are also participating at the meeting, during a special public session led by the ministers.
This is the second time the three ministers have met since the formation of the Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC), established under the environmental side accord to NAFTA. The CEC’s Council -- composed of Canadian Environment Minister Sheila Copps, Mexican Environment Minister Julia Carabias and EPA Administrator Carol Browner -- met for the first time July 1994 in Washington, D.C.
The ministers are expected to announce important cooperative actions on several fronts, including pollution prevention, energy efficiency and climate change and habitat protection. In addition, the ministers will unveil information highway initiatives aimed at improving the flow of environmental information across borders. The ministers will also report on cooperative action to strengthen the enforcement of environmental laws in NAFTA countries, as well as prevent regional environmental crises.
The Joint Public Advisory Committee, a 15-member trinational advisory body to the CEC Council, will lead a public discussion on the North American environmental agenda prior to the public meeting with the ministers.
The CEC, which is funded equally by Canada, Mexico and the U.S., oversees a wide range of cooperative environmental programs. The Secretariat of the CEC, staff equally by Canadian, Mexicans and Americans, is located in Montreal.
All media are welcome to attend the Oaxaca meeting. There will be two press conferences on Friday, October 13th (both in the Ex-Convento de Santo Domingo in Oaxaca): 12:45 p.m. (before the public session) and 7:00 p.m. (following the conclusion of the meeting). |
