JPAC Bulletin: Public Session of the Joint Public Advisory Committee of the Commission for Environmental Cooperation in March in Guadalajara

On 23 March, following opening reports, the public is invited to participate in a plenary discussion on the CEC's Three-year Program Plan including the North American Pollutant Release and Transfer Register Program. Participants will be encouraged to provide ideas and recommendations to assist JPAC in formulating future advice to Council. Afterwards, the meeting will focus on the development of strategic plans for the Conservation of Biodiversity project and, more particularly, on the results of a workshop on this matter that will be held directly prior to this regular session, where representatives of indigenous peoples from Canada, Mexico and the United States will be in attendance. Following reports from various participants of this workshop, JPAC will be very interested in receiving comments from the public on this specific project.

On 24 March, the public is invited to attend, as observers, the second day of this JPAC regular session. JPAC members will address administrative issues, such as a discussion of the advice to Council on strategic plans for the Conservation of Biodiversity project and methods for CEC project evaluation. At the end of the session, observers will have an opportunity to comment. It is also possible for the public to attend, as observers, a round table of the Joint Public Advisory Committee and the Mexican National Advisory Committee on emerging environmental trends in North America. The public will also have the opportunity to make comments at the end of this joint meeting.

To confirm your attendance and receive the appropriate documents for this session, or for individuals who cannot attend this session and would like to send written comments on these or other issues, please e-mail Leonor Alvarado at the CEC Secretariat or send a fax to (514) 350-4314. Please include your name, that of your organization, and its address, telephone, fax number and e-mail address with your comments. Please note that to allow enough time to receive the documents, you should send your registration form or comments before 14 March.

JPAC provides advice to the Council of the CEC on all matters within the scope of the North American Agreement on Environmental Cooperation (NAAEC). It is composed of fifteen members, five from each of the three countries, who are appointed by their respective governments. The members act independently.

Please note that the agenda for this regular session, the CEC Three-year Program Plan for 1999-2001, all JPAC documents and all CEC official publications can be found on the CEC web site at <http://www.cec.org>. To request hard copies of documents, please contact the CEC Secretariat directly by e-mail at <lalvarad@ccemtl.org> fax: (514) 350-4314 or telephone: (514) 350-4366.