| Montreal, 19/03/2001 – Jon Plaut, Chair of the Joint Public Advisory Committee (JPAC) of the Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC) of North America for the year 2002, presided over the first JPAC regular session of 2002 in Mexico City on 8 March.
Children's Health and the Environment in North America
The session was held immediately following a joint meeting with the Expert Advisory Board on Children's Health and the Environment in North America involving stakeholder groups and the public in the development of a draft trilateral Cooperative Agenda for Children's Health and the Environment in North America. Based on the comments received and interaction with the Expert Advisory Board, JPAC adopted Advice 02-01 to Council recommending approaches for more fully integrating children's health into the work of the CEC, commenting on the development of the Cooperative Agenda, and additional recommendations on related matters.
Articles 14 and 15 of the North American Agreement on Environmental Cooperation (NAAEC)
JPAC received a reply from Council to its Advice 01-09 requesting authorization to conduct a public review on two issues related to the implementation and further elaboration of Articles 14 and 15: limiting the scope of the factual records; and requiring the Secretariat to submit its work plans to the Parties for an opportunity to comment.
On the first issue, Council rephrased the issue of limiting the scope to read "the manner in which the scope of a factual records is defined" and suggested JPAC conduct a review only after the relevant four factual records had been completed. On the second, Council agreed that JPAC might conduct a public review.
At this meeting, JPAC approved Advice 02-03, requesting that Council reverse its decision on the first issue. On the second point, JPAC decided to conduct a public review and will seek written comments on the matter, with the intention of preparing a report to Council in advance of the June 2002 Council meeting. A call for public comments has been issued with the relevant details.
NAAEC Article 13 Report on the Environmental Challenges and Opportunities of the North American Electricity Market
JPAC was informed by the Secretariat the Article 13 Report of NAAEC on the Opportunities of the North American Electricity Market is close to completion and will be forwarded to Council before the end of March. JPAC is awaiting a response to its letter to Council requesting that the report be made public.
The Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC) of North America and Chapter 11 of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)
JPAC is becoming increasingly concerned about the environmental implications of NAFTA Chapter 11 and the lack of transparency and public access in the dispute settlement process. Advice 02-04 was prepared, urging Council to take steps to bring this issue forward in upcoming discussions between trade and environment officials and improving public access. JPAC will also organize a public session on NAFTA Chapter 11 issues during the June 2002 Council meeting.
North American Fund for Environmental Cooperation (NAFEC)
At its last meeting, JPAC requested that the Secretariat prepare modifications to the NAFEC Administration and Funding Guidelines to better suit the realities of a more limited budget. JPAC reviewed this document and adopted Advice 02-02, recommending that several clarifications be made and that Council then approve the revised Guidelines.
Finally, JPAC met informally with the Alternate Representatives where matters related to the CEC vision, Articles 14 and 15 of the North American Agreement on Environmental Cooperation (NAAEC), NAFTA Chapter 11 and the June 2002 Council session were discussed.
Nominations of JPAC Members
In addition, JPAC was informed during the meeting with the Alternate Representatives that Victor Lightinger, Mexican Secretary of the Environment and Natural Resources (Semarnat) had nominated three new members to the JPAC to replace Daniel Basurto, Raúl Tornel and Blanca Torres. The new members are Adriana Nelly Correa, Mindahi Crescencio Bastida-Muñoz and Carlos Sandoval.
Next JPAC Meetings
JPAC's next regular session will be held in conjunction with the Regular Session of Council on 17-19 June in Ottawa, Canada. The appropriate information and the registration form to attend this meeting will be released soon.
The CEC was established by Canada, Mexico and the United States to build cooperation among the North American Free Trade Agreement partners in implementing NAAEC, the environmental side accord to NAFTA. The CEC addresses environmental issues of continental concern, with particular attention to the environmental challenges and opportunities presented by continent-wide free trade.
JPAC is a 15-member, independent, volunteer body that provides advice and public input to Council on any matter within the scope of NAAEC.
For more information on these meetings, please contact:
Manon Pepin
Commission for Environmental Cooperation of North America
393, rue St-Jacques Ouest, Bureau 200
Montréal, Québec, Canada H2Y 1N9
Tel: (514) 350-4300; Fax: (514) 350-4314
E-mail: mpepin@ccemtl.org
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