Despite the frustration of stalled talks leading up to Copenhagen, negotiations in North America are moving forward. Last week, Mexico's president, Felipe Calderón, announced at the 9th World Wilderness Congress a trilateral partnership to address wilderness conservation -- the first formal agreement by nations to cooperate on a continent-wide conservation matter.
The agreement, which was signed by the U.S., Mexico, and Canada, will benefit North American wilderness regions during a crucial environmental period. Its intent is that the countries share successful conservation experiences and monitoring and training practices, including financing projects to protect wild places.
The partnership will also be instrumental in climate-change monitoring and adaptation, as it will better allow for analyzing ecosystems, migratory wildlife, and natural resources across borders, even while accommodating native approaches to wildlife conservation.
--Michael Mullaley
