In the Spotlight
Join the Monarch Blitz’s 10th Anniversary: Every Observation Matters
Tiohtià:ke (Montreal), 23 July 2026—The International Monarch Monitoring Blitz is just around the corner! From 31 July to 9 August 2026, we invite everyone across North America to head outside and search for monarch butterflies and milkweed plants.
Topics
Climate Change
Supporting emissions reduction and helping communities adapt to extreme weather events
Environmental Justice
The pursuit of environmental justice (EJ) aims to address historical inequities, marginalization and discrimination in how environmental benefits and burdens are enjoyed or suffered by certain communities.
Ecosystems
Working with communities to conserve and restore North America's terrestrial and marine ecosystems and priority species
Enforcement
Supporting enforcement and compliance with domestic environmental law and with multilateral environmental agreements
Sustainable Living and Economies
Advancing the sustainability of our economic activities and life choices by identifying and fostering alternatives that effectively integrate the environmental, social and economic dimensions for a just and resilient North America. Our work is organized around four main areas:
Pollutants
Promoting clean air, water and land through prevention, reductions, and sound management of pollutant releases, toxic chemicals and hazardous waste
Youth Engagement
Over the years, the CEC has been committed to youth engagement and the efforts supported have provided youth with opportunities to raise awareness, provide tangible, sustainable, and innovative solutions for environmental issues in their communities, and influence CEC’s strategies, projects, and initiatives.
Indigenous Affairs
The Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC) recognizes the essential role that Indigenous Peoples and local communities play in environmental stewardship across Turtle Island, Madre Tierra, also known as North America.
Private Sector Engagement
The private sector plays a critical role in driving economic prosperity, innovation and sustainable development.
Featured Project
Transforming Recycling and Solid Waste Management in North America
Reducing waste and closing material loops help minimize environmental impacts throughout the value chain of resources and products. They also present considerable economic opportunities. Circular economy strategies, including a multitude of recovery options, are estimated to unlock $4.5 trillion in economic growth around the globe. The transition to a circular...
Featured Publication
CEC’s work to support the Local Environmental Observer (LEO) Network (2015–2016)
Long-term Impact Assessment
The Local Environmental Observer (LEO) Network is an online community of local observers and topic experts who share knowledge about unusual animal, environment, and weather events. The Network originated within the Alaska Tribal Health System as a project of the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium (ANTHC) in 2012 to bring local area experts in rural communities into contact with topic experts who might be far away.
Through LEO, members can share observations, connect on various topics with experts from different knowledge backgrounds—local, Indigenous, and scientific—help detect emerging environmental concerns in their communities and engage in a range of observer and citizen science opportunities. The Network aims to increase understanding of environmental change and help identify healthy and effective ways to adapt to it.
What We Do
We conduct research, provide tools and training, and provide a unique space for decision-makers and the public to engage on environmental policy issues affecting the North American region.