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UNDP and the Mexican government are working together on two fundamental objectives.
The first objective is to support the design, implementation, and evaluation of
environmental programmes through the active participation of civil service organizations.
Secondly, UNDP is helping Mexico fulfil its environmental commitments at the
international level like the ones arranged in international conventions and their respective
protocols. These are being mobilized and implemented with international funds,
like the cases of the Montreal Protocol, GEF, and Capacity 21. 3
CHEMICALS BIODIVERSITY ENERGY FSSD*
PORTFOLIO
Thierry Lemaresquier, Resident Representative
UNDP is supporting Mexico’s “Green Plan” project, funded by GEF, which will enable the Government to develop comprehensive strategies,
action plans, and frameworks to facilitate the launch of a new orientation towards sustainable human development. In addition,
UNDP’s public spaces project is enabling the participation of civil society in the implementation of environmental policies, management,
and conservation of natural resources, with funding from the Government.
To increase access to sustainable energy and reduce emissions of GHGs in Mexico, UNDP is implementing a GEF-funded wind energy
project, which will launch a comprehensive and systematic effort to reduce identified barriers to wind energy development. Barriers
include regulatory frameworks of the electricity sector, and lack of wind energy resources assessments, technology, and information.
Another GEF-funded project aims to foster the development, manufacture, and large-scale commercialization of hydrogen-fuel cell
buses in Mexico.
UNDP is supporting the consolidation of Mexico’s capacity for the implementation of the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety, with funding
from GEF. In addition, UNDP is promoting the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity through projects such as the “Natural
Protected Areas”project, funded by the government, and the GEF-funded “Sierra Gorda Biosphere Reserve”project, which promotes biodiversity
conservation through the division of responsibilities between NGOs and the State. Another GEF-funded project protects biodiversity
and vital ecosystem functions within Mexico’s globally significant eco-regions, by establishing a framework and local capacities
to manage biodiversity-friendly land/resource use.
UNDP has supported Mexico through implementation of a portfolio with over 50 projects that have successfully contributed to
strengthening Mexico’s compliance efforts under the Montreal Protocol. Currently UNDP’s assistance programme focuses on the sectors
of methyl bromide, foam and halons. Through the implementation of the methyl bromide initiative, seven alternatives to methyl
bromide use in the post-harvest sector are being demonstrated, and their technical and economic feasibility, as well as their environmental
effects, is being evaluated. Other sectors’ interventions include a foam sector phase-out plan and establishment of a national
halon management and banking operation that seeks to decrease dependence on imports and provide locally-recycled halons to be
used for servicing existing systems, as well as future critical use applications.
CONTACTS
Ms. Verania Chao – verania.chao@undp.org.mx
Tel.: 52-55-52639761
Fax: 52-55- 52550095
http://www.undp.org.mx/MedioAmbiente/index.cfm
1
MDGR 2005 http://www.un.org.mx/ODM/Indexodm.html; 2 Roe, D,“The Millennium Development Goals and Conservation: Managing Nature’s Wealth for Society’s Health”, IEED: London, 2005:
http://www.meetingthemdgs.org/pubs.html and UNDP Equator Prize 2002 Finalists: http://www.undp.org/equatorinitiative/secondary/equator_prize2002.htm; Café de la Selva website:
http://www.laselvacafe.com.mx/indexe.html; 3 http://www.undp.org.mx/MedioAmbiente/index.cfm; *Frameworks and Strategies for Sustainable Development
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