Trade and the enviroment biological diversity conservation in North America: NAFTA and the implications of the CEC's transgenic maize report

NAFTA, through the Agreement on Environmental Cooperation of North America created two mechanisms for environmental conservation, one of citizen submissions and other reports of the Secretariat. In 2004, the Report of Transgenic Maize put into question the effectiveness of the Mexican environmental legislation and environmental institutions. This research argues that the report illustrates the issue of balancing trade commitments by States parties of NAFTA and environmental conservation obligations contained in international treaties. The Report is also key in creating legislation and specialized institutions in Mexico to meet the challenges of LMOs/GMOs.