Mexico and Climate Change

Mexicans want to live in a better country and a better world. Ever since scientists have identified the potential negative effects of climate change on human development, Mexican decision makers have designed public policy approaches to encourage a transition to a greener, less carbon-intensive economy.

Endorsing this commitment alongside other nations, Mexico has actively participated in various multilateral forums: In 1993, it ratified the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change as a non-Annex I country and, in 1998 it signed the Kyoto Protocol, ratifying it in 2000.

Mexico is not bound by any international convention to meet quantitative targets for reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, but has voluntarily set its own domestic goals to reduce GHG emissions, thus demonstrating its willingness to act against climate change.

Mexico´s obligation under the international agreements on climate change is to present National Communications; Mexico is the only developing country that has presented four national communications* in which it reports greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions inventories and action plans to address negative effects produced by climate change. Mexico believes that all countries should and can contribute to the extent of their capabilities to attend to the problems arising from climate change around the world, and it has demonstrated this belief with the domestic measures it has undertaken.

Mexico has implemented a program to voluntarily measure and report GHG emissions in which many companies that have adopted international measurement protocols are actively participating. The number of organizations and companies working alongside the federal government in this program doubled from 2006 to 2009. This is a good example of the joint efforts being made by the Mexican government and society to combat climate change.

Our interest is justified. The 2009 annual report of the World Bank´s Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery places Mexico among the countries most vulnerable to climate change: 15% of its national territory, 68.2% of its population and 71% of its GDP are at risk of suffering the adverse consequences of this environmental phenomenon.

• Mexico’s general position
• National Communications
• Special Climate Change Program
• Executive Summary Special Climate Change Program 2009-2012 Mexico