PREAMBLE

The Government of Canada, the Government of the United Mexican States and the Government of the United States of America:

convinced of the importance of the conservation, protection and enhancement of the environment in their territories and the essential role of cooperation in these areas in achieving sustainable development for the well-being of present and future generations;

reffirming the sovereign right of States to exploit their own resources pursuant to their own environmental and development policies and their responsibility to ensure that activities within their jurisdiction or control do not cause damage to the environment of other States or of areas beyond the limits of national jurisdiction;

recognizing the interrelationship of their environments;

acknowledging the growing economic and social links between them, including the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA);

reconfirming the importance of the environmental goals and objectives of the NAFTA, including enhanced levels of environmental protection;

emphasizing the importance of public participation in conserving, protecting and enhancing the environment;

noting the existence of differences in their respective natural endowments, climatic and geographical conditions, and economic, technological and infrastructural capabilities;

reaffirming the Stockholm Declaration on the Human Environment of 1972 and the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development of 1992;

recalling their tradition of environmental cooperation and expressing their desire to support and build on international environmental agreements and existing policies and laws, in order to promote cooperation between them; and