For the first time, a government-sponsored snapshot of the environmental health of North America is available, thanks to a study released today by the Montreal-based Commission for Environmental Cooperation. The study, which was mandated by an environmental accord affiliated with the North American Free Trade Agreement and was submitted to the top environmental authorities of the U.S., Mexico, and Canada, contains good news and bad news for the continent. The amount of protected land in North America has tripled in the last 30 years. However, hundreds of species remain threatened, and the NAFTA nations have yet to negotiate agreements on multinational environmental issues, such as the spread of non-native species, the health of migratory animals, water resources, and the creation of wildlife corridors.
