Mexico’s general position

16th Conference of the Parties of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and 6th Conference of the Parties serving as the Meeting of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol (COP16/CMP6)
Cancun, 29 November -10 December 2010

In strict accordance with the principles enshrined by this instrument, particularly the common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capacities, full participation of the international community is essential to achieve the Framework Convention objective.
As incoming President of the COP16/CMP6, Mexico has been acting as facilitator of the negotiations during 2010 among national, regional and group positions to create an adequate technical and political framework to achieve successful results. In Cancun, Mexico seeks:
- That the Conferences mark the beginning of a new era of global action on climate change..
- To ensure a transparent and inclusive preparatory process that takes into consideration concerns of all States.
- To strengthen the trust and communication channels between developed and developing countries.
- To affirm the importance of the multilateral system in addressing climate change.
- To provide channels for the participation of various civil society actors.
Within this context during 2010, Mexico has been carrying out a wide political and technical consultancy process with several countries and regions, addressing central aspects of the negotiation.
Within framework of the international context towards the Cancun Conferences, Mexico supports proposals considering:
- Establishment of ambitious commitments by developing countries to reduce Greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions in accordance with requirements set by science.
- National Appropriate Mitigation Actions (NAMA’s) by developing countries within the context of sustainable development, poverty eradication with adequate financial and technological support.
- Establishment of monitoring, reporting and verification (MRV) schemes that take into account the importance of trust and transparency in accordance with the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities.
- Mechanisms including emissions reduction from the forest sector.
- Recognition of adaptation as a key element of sustainable development.
- Inclusive and innovative financial mechanisms in the short or long terms that are adequate and predictable.
- Develop mechanisms that strengthen scientific, technical and technological capacities of developing countries.
- Improve the access of developing countries into market mechanisms.

The following list presents the main elements that integrate Mexico`s position towards Cancun. This is not an exhaustive list and it only reflects a general approach on the negotiation issues.

SHARED VISION

All countries, within their common but differentiated responsibilities, should do their greatest efforts to achieve the ultimate goal of the Convention to stabilize in the atmosphere the GHG concentration.
Mexico acknowledges the objective to limit GHG emissions to prevent an increase of the global temperature by more than 2° C, such objective should be periodically revised to enhance the level of ambition and to achieve improved reductions.
Established financial and technological mechanisms should be congruent and should facilitate the achievement of the GHG stabilization goal.
To achieve the proposed goals, Mexico generates synergies; these implies an increase and strengthen participation of civil society and other important actors.

MITIGATION

Developed Countries

The GHG emission reduction commitments by developed countries should be more profound and ambitious in the short and the long terms.
At a national level, developed countries should adopt economy-wide emissions reduction commitments.
Developed countries GHG emissions should reach their historic peak in the next 15-20 years.
Emissions reduction pledges expressed by developed countries should be transformed into commitments within the formal negotiation framework.
Establishment of a monitoring, reporting and verification (MRV) system for mitigation actions of the developed countries.

Developing countries

Mexico supports strengthening of National Appropriate Mitigation Actions (NAMA’s) by developing countries within the sustainable development and poverty eradication context, as well as the adequate financial and technological support.
In accordance with the country position regarding the National Appropriate Mitigation Actions (NAMA’s), these should:
- Be voluntary, non binding and should correspond with each country capabilities
- Reflect aspects of responsibility, capacity, mitigation potentials and national circumstances.
- Have an actions monitoring, reporting and verification (MRV) system that respects countries sovereignty.
At a national level and through the Climate Change Special Program (PECC by its Spanish acronym), Mexico adopted the mitigation goal of 51 million tons of Carbon Dioxide equivalent, CO2e, per year towards 2012. Mexico has also announced its objective to reduce its emissions up to 30% below the baseline towards 2020, in the framework of a global agreement that provides financial and technological support for the implementation of developing countries actions.

ADAPTATION

Mexico has claimed that adaptation should be treated with the same importance as mitigation.
Mexico encourages the adoption of an institutional adaptation framework within the Convention, that considers:
- A clear definition of the new institutional agreement functions and strengthen of those already existing.
- Cooperation between developed and developing countries to design and implement adaptation measures, reducing vulnerabilities and climate risk management.
- Provisions to support the implementation of actions.
- Institutional arrangements on finance and technology that will allow development and implementation of effective adaptation strategies and actions.
In the framework of PECC, Mexico establishes in its internal politics an adaptation strategy towards 2050; such strategy considers three significant stages: First stage (2008-2012), evaluation of the country’s vulnerabilities and economic valuation of priority measures; second stage (towards 2030), strengthening of national, regional, and sectorial adaptation strategic capacities; and, third stage, towards 2050, consolidation of capacity building.

FINANCE

Mexico recognizes the need to increase the scale of the international financial response to face climate change challenges. In the negotiation framework, Mexico encourages the creation of a new inclusive and efficient fund to mobilize new and additional resources.
The adoption of a process under the Convention to implement the fund once created.
For Mexico it is of great relevance to consolidate the fast start finance to restore and reinforce the trust in the negotiating process and to support the basis for long term finance.
On finance, improvement of the carbon market is also considered relevant.

TECHNOLOGYY

Mexico favors the creation of institutional arrangements that consider a technological mechanism, as well as regional research and development centers and networks.
Likewise, it encourages development of national technological needs plans to serve as basis to aim action and global cooperation.
Through appropriate financial mechanisms a more dynamic research and the development and promotion of new low carbon technologies are required.

REDUCTION OF EMISSIONS FROM DEFORESTATION AND FOREST DEGRADATION IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES (REDD PLUS)

REDD plus represents an important opportunity to combat climate change and protect forests due to the environmental and social benefits they provide.
Schemes for the provisions of resources and positive incentives for the development of REDD plus activities in developing countries are promoted.
Promotion of flexibility regarding the financial scheme or the source of positive incentives.
A progressive focus on the implementation of REDD plus activities, that considers capacity building, pilot activities and development of projects at different levels is promoted.
Mexico supports a flexible approach to allow national, sub national and project scale implementation of REDD plus activities, under the logic of a national accountability system.
According to international standards, particularly the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People, the REDD plus activities should recognize the rights of indigenous people and local communities that inhabit the forests, associated co-benefits such as conservation of the ecosystems and services they provide should also be recognized.

CARBON MARKET

Mexico favors the strengthening of the carbon market, beyond the current Clean Development Mechanism (CDM), in order to increase options for the fulfillment of cost-effective mitigation measures.
Mexico supports the continuity and improvement of CDM projects and in parallel promotes the development of wider scope programs.
It is recognized that the carbon market is a useful mean to fulfill two main objectives of the post-2012 regime:
- Allow the fulfillment of ambitious mitigation commitments in developed countries.
- Act as a funding source for mitigation measures in developed countries.

MEXICO’S PROGRESS IN CDM PROJECTS

Globally, Mexico is the first country to register before the Executive Board a programmatic CDM, consisting on the substitution of 30 million incandescent lamps with fluorescent compact lamps.
Mexico has 124 registered projects before the Executive Board and globally is the 4th country with the more projects.
México is the 5th country with more Certified Emissions Reduction (7 million t ons of CO2e)

Throughout the facilitation of the negotiation process and the promotion of constructive positions, Mexico is encouraging an atmosphere to allow all State Parties to the Convention the achievement of areas of understanding, in order to build productive bridges towards agreements.