Irasema Coronado: North American Chemicals Forum

NORTH AMERICANCHEMICALS FORUMSAN ANTONIO, TEXASMay 16, 2012

Thanks!• To organizers• To participants

Irasema Coronado, Ph.D.• U.S. Member of JPAC• Past Member of Good Neighbor Environmental Board USEPA• Political Scientist• Cross- Border Cooperation• Border Environmental Issues• Environmental Justice

JPAC• The Joint Public Advisory Committee (JPAC) composed of fifteen citizens (five from each country) advises the Council on any matter within the scope of the North American Agreement on Environmental Cooperation, and serves as a source of information for the CEC Secretariat.

JPACs vision is to promote continentalcooperation in ecosystem protection andsustainable economic development, and toensure active public participation andtransparency in the actions of theCommission.As a group of volunteer citizens, JPACsees itself a microcosm of the public:independent individuals who contributediverse but rich institutional experience andcultural perspectives

Concerns Regarding Chemicals• Transporting (rail, highway)• Handling• Shipping• Storing• Disposing• Accidents

Right to Know• Contingency Plans• Rapid Response• Health Risks• Exposure• Harm to the environment• Air, water, soil

Environmental NGOs on the Border• Have lost momentum• At the height of NAFTA Environmental NGOs on the border were important actors locally, nationally and internationally• Not anymore• Border Residents are concerned with economic issues, employment and security, environment is not high on their priority list

Environmental Issues• Have lost saliency on the border• Asarco• Westway Colonia (irritants)• Arcelor Mitel Border Steel (workers and community)• Water Issues• Elections in US and Mexico

Role of Governments• To ensure safety of citizens vis a vis Chemicals• People are trusting government to do the right thing• One less thing that citizens have to worry about• People are not aware of the different levels of government vis a vis their role in environmental protection

Be aware and sensitive to…• Different languages• Different socio-economic backgrounds• Different literacy levels• Oral Communication Radio Stations on the Border and Reservations• Facebook, twitter• Religious organizations• Community Organizations• Schools

Develop Youth Programs• Summer Camps• Schools• Community Centers• Native American Communities

JPAC Advice LettersOpen to your suggestions and recommendations

Irasema Coronado: North American Chemicals Forum

by North American Commission for Environmental Cooperation on May 29, 2012

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Irasema Coronado: North American Chemicals Forum Presentation Transcript