| Montreal, 16/10/2003 – An independent Ten-year Review and Assessment Committee (TRAC) is undertaking an examination of the North American Agreement on Environmental Cooperation. TRAC will produce a report that will review the implementation of the NAAEC and provide an assessment of the impacts of the various programs of the Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC). The report will include an examination of the institutional aspects of the CEC, the implementation of the specific mechanisms of the NAAEC, and how the CEC has addressed the environmental impacts of NAFTA. The report will also provide recommendations to the Council on charting a path for the CEC over the next decade. The final report will be delivered to the Council in the spring of 2004.
TRAC is seeking comments from the public, the Council, the Secretariat and the Joint Public Advisory Committee (JPAC) on any matters within the scope of TRAC's mandate. Some specific areas to consider in providing your comments are:
- Your assessment of the implementation of the NAAEC by the CEC and by the governments.
- Regarding past CEC activities:
- Which have been most useful in helping the Parties achieve the goals of the NAAEC? Why?
- Which have been least useful? Why?
- Regarding future CEC activities:
- What are the major environmental issues facing North America, and what role should the CEC play in addressing these issues over the next 10 years? Why?
- What other environmental issues should the CEC help address over the next 10 years? Why?
- What environmental issues should the CEC not be involved in over the next 10 years? Why?
- Ideas to further public involvement in the CEC over the next decade.
TRAC holds its mandate from the Council and will report directly to the ministers. TRAC is composed of:
- (Chair) Pierre Marc Johnson is a medical doctor, lawyer and former Premier of Quebec. He is a Counsel Lawyer for Heenan Blaikie, a law
teacher at McGill Law School, and was a founding member of the
International Institute for Sustainable Development's board of directors
from 1990 until 1995.
- Robert J.D. Page is the Vice President for Sustainable Development at TransAlta Corporation, a power generation company based in Calgary, Alberta. He is a former Dean at the Faculty of Environmental Design at the University of Calgary, where he remains an Adjunct Professor of Environmental Science.
- Daniel Basurto is a lawyer and founding partner of the firm Basurto, Santillana y Arguijo, S.C., through which he has counseled domestic and foreign companies on compliance with Mexican environmental legislation. He is also a former member of the Joint Public Advisory Committee of the CEC.
- Blanca Torres is a professor and researcher at the College of Mexico (El Colegio de México). She is a member of National System of Researchers (Sistema Nacional de Investigadores) of the Mexican Academy of Sciences (Academia Mexicana de Ciencias). She is a specialist in Mexican foreign policy and Mexico-US relations, with a current focus on environmental issues.
- Jennifer A. Haverkamp is a former Assistant US Trade Representative for Environment and Natural Resources at the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR), where she oversaw negotiations of environmental components of trade agreements. She now works as an independent consultant based in Washington, DC.
- John F. Mizroch is the President and CEO of World Environment Center, a not-for-profit organization that encourages corporate environmental leadership. He is a former Executive Director of Environmental Export Council and advisor to the Joint Economic Committee of Congress.
Please address your comments to TRAC@ccemtl.org. This e-mail address will be accessed by TRAC members only
Comments are also welcomed anytime during the evaluation process. The draft report will be available for public comment in the spring of 2004. |
