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
Air Quality Improvement for Environmental Justice
Black carbon (BC) or “soot” ─a component of fine particulate matter (PM)─ is an important air contaminant that not only affects public health but also our climate. Our countries’ systems for monitoring air pollution have limited coverage, with millions of people across North America living in communities that have no...
Featured Publication
Building Community Solutions to Marine Litter in North America
Tijuana River
Common trash from consumer goods in coastal and inland locations makes up the majority of trash that ends up polluting our oceans. Marine litter damages ecosystems and kills marine life, threatening our food supplies, tourism, the fishing industry, and our economies. Through its 2017-2018 project “Building Community Solutions to Marine Litter”, the CEC led the first local, community-based approach in two transboundary areas – the Tijuana River and the Salish Sea – to help to identify and implement low-cost and low-technology solutions to local marine litter. This set of brochures includes a project overview and details the engagement processes and activities carried out in the Tijuana River and the Salish Sea watersheds.
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.