The North American Agreement on Environmental Cooperation (NAAEC), which was negotiated and is being implemented in parallel to the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) provides a good example of a regional effort to promote environmental law and enforcement. NAAEC requires that each Party (i.e. Canada, United States, and Mexico) ensures that its laws provide for high levels of environmental protection. Each Party agreed to effectively enforce its environmental laws through appropriate means, such as the appointment and training of inspectors, monitoring compliance, and pursuing the necessary legal means to seek appropriate remedies for violations. The Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC) created under the NAAEC is authorized to develop joint recommendations on approaches to environmental compliance and enforcement. The tendency therefore is that the Parties will endeavour together to foster effective environmental enforcement within the region. Each Party must also provide periodic reports on the state of its environment, develop environmental emergency preparedness measures, promote environmental education, further research and development, assess (as appropriate) environmental impacts, and promote the use of economic instruments. The CEC was created by NAAEC to enhance regional environmental cooperation, reduce potential trade and environmental conflicts, and promote the effective enforcement of environmental law.
For more information, see http://www.cec.org (in English, French, and Spanish) or contact info@cec.org