Agenda
Participate from wherever you are
Engage in environmental discussions and meet North American leaders
#CEC30, the 30th annual Session of the Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC) Council and Joint Public Advisory Committee (JPAC) Public Forum, will bring together the top environmental officials from Canada, Mexico and the United States, as well as Indigenous groups and local communities, youth, experts, and the public at large. The event will be a hybrid meeting format and will take place in Victoria, Canada, and online, on 28 and 29 June 2023, with the theme “Indigenous and Urban Approaches to Climate Adaptation.”
This year, the Honourable Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Environment and Climate Change Canada, will host his Council counterparts, Secretary María Luisa Albores González of the Secretariat of Environment and Natural Resources of Mexico (Semarnat) and United States Environmental Protection Agency Deputy Administrator Janet McCabe.
This Council Session will reinforce trilateral commitments to preserve, protect and enhance the North American environment, and establish shared priorities and action for environmental cooperation in North America. The Session will also promote dialogue and knowledge-sharing among a diverse and intergenerational group of stakeholders. #CEC30 will also feature an exhibition and networking space, highlighting current and future CEC efforts.
The JPAC Public Forum, on Indigenous Approaches to Climate Adaptation, will serve as a platform to showcase climate adaptation stories from Indigenous communities in the three countries and discussions of the critical role of Indigenous knowledge and perspectives in shaping effective climate adaptation policies and planning efforts. During the event, Indigenous Peoples, youth, interested participants and the public will be invited to join the exchange of knowledge as panelists present their experiences and unique perspectives on climate change and highlight case studies where Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) and Indigenous perspectives were integrated into climate adaptation initiatives.
Participation in the 2023 CEC Council Session and Joint Public Advisory Committee forum is open to the public and free of charge. However, virtual registration is encouraged since in-person participation is limited. Simultaneous interpretation and live streaming will be available in English, French and Spanish.
Participants are invited to register for the hybrid event here. Registrants will also be invited to join the conversation by submitting questions and comments for the public sessions via Sli.do, using #CEC30 as the event code.
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The Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC) was established in 1994 by the governments of Canada, Mexico and the United States through the North American Agreement on Environmental Cooperation, a parallel environmental agreement to NAFTA. As of 2020, the CEC is recognized and maintained by the Environmental Cooperation Agreement parallel to the new Free Trade Agreement of North America. The CEC brings together a wide range of stakeholders, including the general public, Indigenous People, youth, nongovernmental organizations, academia, and the business sector, to seek solutions to protect North America’s shared environment while supporting sustainable development for the benefit of present and future generations. Find out more at: www.cec.org .
The CEC is governed and funded equally by the Government of Canada through Environment and Climate Change Canada, the Government of the United States of Mexico through the Secretaría de Medio Ambiente y Recursos Naturales, and the Government of the United States of America through the Environmental Protection Agency.
Climate change is impacting communities across North America, giving way to increased events such as flooding, coastal erosion, drought, fires, and heat waves, to name a few. For Indigenous communities, climate change also poses serious threats to their traditional way of life, including to their food, modes of transportation, cultural ways, and sacred sites. As North American communities face the reality of increasing climate variability, reducing vulnerability and building local resilience has become a shared priority for all three countries.
This JPAC hybrid forum will serve as a platform to showcase climate adaptation stories from Indigenous communities in the three countries and discuss the critical role of Indigenous Knowledge and perspectives in shaping effective climate adaptation policies and planning efforts.
The JPAC Public Forum will include a keynote address and two main sessions:
Session 1 – Climate Adaptation in North America: Learning from Indigenous Communities
This session will bring together Indigenous community leaders from Canada, Mexico and the United States to showcase climate adaptation stories in the three countries. Invited speakers will share their experience and unique perspectives on climate change, how it is impacting their communities, and how they approach climate adaptation to build community resilience.
The session will also feature a moderated Q&A with the public (in-person and online).
Session 2: Integrating TEK and Indigenous Perspectives into Climate Adaptation Policy and Planning
During this session, invited speakers will discuss the critical role of Indigenous Knowledge and perspectives in shaping effective climate adaptation policies and planning efforts. The session will highlight case studies where Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) and Indigenous perspectives were integrated into climate adaptation initiatives to enhance their effectiveness and promote greater resilience to climate change impacts.
The session will also feature a moderated Q&A with the public (in-person and online).
During this session, Council members and invited experts will participate in a public dialogue on Indigenous and Urban Approaches to Climate Adaptation. The session will include moderated exchanges between Council members and invited experts, as well as a moderated question and answer period with registered participants.
Invited experts – tbc
Moderator – tbc
The 2023 Youth Innovation Challenge invited North American youth, aged 18 to 30, to propose innovative solutions that address and respond to critical issues related to water. This 7th annual challenge, under the theme "Water Solutions for Sustainable Development," encouraged dynamic and creative young leaders to participate in actions, innovation, and transformation on issues relating to water. Winners will be announced during this session and will be invited to present their innovative solutions to the Council and the public.