CEC seeks comments on children’s health and environment report

The relationship between environmental risk and children's health is examined in the first-ever regional report on indicators of children's health and the environment, prepared by the Commission for Environmental Cooperation.

The CEC is seeking public comments on the draft report, entitled Children's Health and the Environment in North America: A first report on Available Indicators and Measures. The report presents national data on thirteen indicators in three general areas-asthma and respiratory disease, the effects of lead and other toxics (including pesticides), and waterborne disease-and is derived from the material contained in "Country Reports" that were prepared by the national governments. The North American report and the individual Country Reports are available for review at <http://www.cec.org/pubs_docs/documents/index.cfm?varlan=english&ID=1813>.

The goal of this new CEC report is to provide decision-makers and the public with information on the status of key parameters related to children's health and the environment in North America as a means of measuring and promoting change.

This CEC-led effort also forms part of the Global Initiative on Children's Environmental Health Indicators as endorsed at the World Summit on Sustainable Development. The Global Initiative is led by the World Health Organization, with support from the US Environmental Protection Agency. As such this report represents a significant regional learning opportunity that may inform similar projects in other parts of the world.

Please submit written comments no later than 20 October 2005, to Keith Chanon, program manager, CEC, by email: <kchanon@cec.org. Include your name, firm or organization, address, telephone and fax numbers. Comments received will be posted on the CEC web site (unless otherwise directed by the submitter) in their original language.