Bilateral Relations

Canada — Mexico

The Canada-Mexico Agreement on Environmental Cooperation was signed in 1990. It was designed to provide a framework for cooperation on a number of environmental issues, including air, water, waste management, ecosystems, environmental emergencies and sustainable development. Environment Canada (EC) and the Mexican Secretariat for the Environment and Natural Resources (SEMARNAT) are responsible for overseeing the implementation of the Agreement.

Cooperation was very active between 1992 and 1995 under the Canada-Mexico Environmental Cooperation Program, funded by the Canadian Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade and managed jointly with EC. This initiative had two main objectives: to assist in the development and enforcement of Mexico's environmental legislation, and to demonstrate Canadian expertise in environmental management and technology.

Joint work plans were announced at the last two Canada-Mexico Joint Ministerial Committees. In December 1996, the work plan featured fourteen projects in environmental management, conservation and technologies. In February 1999, then Environment Ministers signed two letters of intent to collaborate on climate change and on watershed management in Lake Chapala. They also agreed to collaborate on migratory species and facilitate scientific and technological exchanges.

Commission for Environmental Cooperation — EC and SEMARNAT have also established very close working relationships under the auspices of the following trilateral arrangements: the North American Agreement on Environmental Cooperation (the NAFTA environmental side agreement); the North American Committee for Wildlife and Ecosystem Conservation and Management; and the North American Waterfowl Management Plan.

Other cooperative initiatives — The Canada-Mexico Joint Statement on Strengthened Dialogue and Cooperation on Climate Change signed at the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Montreal on December 8, 2005.

Project Implementation

The Americas Directorate of the International Affairs Branch is responsible for the overall coordination of the Agreement and the relations with SEMARNAT.