Mexico's Involvement in Efforts to Combat Climate Change

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Secretariat of the Environment and Natural Resources (SEMARNAT)

·   Semarnat director leads Mexican delegation participating in 14th United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change

·   Mexico will seek to promote President Felipe Calderón’s proposal to create Green Fund to finance GEI reduction projects

Mexico agreed with the World Bank that Latin America and the Caribbean have the resources and leadership to be part of the global solution required to lead the world towards development with low carbon emission, since several of the countries in the region have sought innovative approaches and experimented with new technologies to reduce their emissions.

Mexico is aware that Latin America is highly vulnerable to climate change, while acknowledging its capacity and possibilities of becoming a central actor in dealing with this phenomenon without affecting its development.

During the first day of work of the 14th United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, the Mexican delegation, led by Environment and Natural Resource Secretary Juan Rafael Elvira Quesada, took part in the media presentation of the World Bank’s (WB) Study of Climate Change, entitled Development with Less Carbon: Latin America faced with the Challenge of Climate Change.

The WB Report highlights Latin America and the Caribbean’s potential for coping with climate change, which is why it urges the international community to look towards this region in order to find novel solutions.

It suggests that the region can lead middle-income countries in reducing emissions produced by deforestation, promoting hydroelectric development, improving energy efficiency, and transforming urban transportation.

In this respect, the WB hailed the actions undertaken by Brazil, Argentina, Colombia, Costa Rica and, above all, Mexico, which through its National Climate Change Strategy adopts voluntary long-term objectives and, in the energy sector, identifies a total potential of mitigation of 74 million tons of greenhouse gas emissions (GGE) in 2012.

On October 14, 2008, Secretary Juan Rafael Elvira Quesada took part in the Forum on the Alliance of Investment Funds in Climate, organized by the World Bank and designed to define various features involving the contents, strategic orientation, administration and operation of Climate Investment Funds: the Investment Fund for Clean Technology and Strategic Climate Change.

As a result of this meeting, Mexico was designated to hold a position in the Board of Directors of the Investment Fund for Clean Technology. This will provide new, large-scale financial resources for investing in projects and programs that will contribute to the demonstration, implementation and technology transfer of low carbon emissions.

Subsequently, as part of the activities in Poznan, the Mexican committee participated in the transport and climate change event: An Urgent Call for Action, in which the SEMARNAT director participated in the Round Table on Policy Instruments and Necessary Actions.

The federal official noted that for the first time ever, 180 experts from 23 countries met in Mexico to take part in a global forum organized by the OECD and the department for which he is responsible. The attendees concluded that transportation will be one of the most important objectives of environmental policy over the next few years, because of its local impact and contribution to climate change.

He also highlighted the progress the Mexican federal government has made in projects promoting the sustainability of transportation, such as the Suburban Train System. Attendees at the forum hailed the interest and support Mexico has given this issue.

For her part, Lisbeth Iversen, Vice President of Government of Bergen, Norway, and moderator of the Round Table, highlighted the role Mexico has played in the region regarding sustainable transportation.

“We recognize the value of Mexico’s participation in this forum and ask Mexico to share its experience with other countries, and thereby enrich existing proposals in this matter," remarked Iversen.

During the 14th United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, Mexico will attempt to promote President Felipe Calderón's proposal to create a Green Fund in which all countries will contribute resources that will help finance projects to reduce emissions.

This proposal was received with interest by Stavros Dimas, Environmental Commissioner of the European Union as part of the bilateral meeting between Mexico and the European Union.

At this forum, Secretary Elvira Quesada will discuss the Special Climate Change Program, a mechanism that will enable Mexico to adopt specific actions to mitigate and adapt to this global phenomenon; he will also discuss the issue of energy reform, which stipulates the use of non-pollutant technologies and promotes the creation of a Renewable Energy Fund.

The aim of the 14th Convention is to seek and establish commitments in GGE reduction.

Poznan is the event during which one of the central issues being discussed is what mechanism will be created to renew or complement the Kyoto Protocol after 2012, and it opens the possibility of forging a new agreement to combat global warming.