Climate Change in Latin America - European Commission

Studies and publications
There are numerous research centres, amongst them
the Centre for Atmosphere Sciences of the National
Autonomous University of Mexico and the Molina
Centre; there is also coordination with government
research institutes. Amongst the publications of
INE for UNFCCC and the State are: Studies of the
Economics of Climate Change in Mexico; Water and
climate; Elements for adaptation to Climate Change;
Towards a National Strategy on Climate Action;
Formulation of Policy Outlines for Energy Efficiency
in Key Sectors; National Project: Development of the
Capacities for Stage II of the Adaptation to Climate
Change in Central America, Mexico and Cuba;
Regional Project: Development of the Capacities for
Stage II of the Adaptation to Climate Change in Central
America, Mexico and Cuba; Inventory of scientific
and technological research in Climate Change in
Mexico, 2005; Mexico and the Framework Convention
(Country Study); 3 National Communications; GHG
Emissions Inventories (every two years); etc.
International Coordination
The Mexican Government has opted to join international
efforts by signing important agreements including the
UN Millennium Goals. To date, Mexico has signed
around 100 international agreements related to the
environment and sustainable development. Mexico's
participation in international activities: Instituto
Interamericano de Investigación sobre el Cambio
Global (Interamerican Institute for Research into Global
Change) (IAI); Red Iberoamericana de Oficinas de
Cambio Climático (Iberoamerican Network of Offices
on Climate Change) (RIOCC); Dialogue on Climate
Change, clean energy and sustainable development;
Mexico - UK Collaboration to develop a State Plan for
Climate Action in Veracruz; Bilateral cooperation in the
Clean Development Mechanism of the Kyoto Protocol
(Germany, Austria, Canada, Denmark, Spain, France,
Japan, Italy, Netherlands and Portugal); Agreement
establishing the Organización Latinoamericana
de Energía (Latin American Energy Organisation)
(OLADE); Agreement on the Interamerican Institute of
Cooperation for Agriculture (1979); Agreement for the
Creation of the Interamerican Institute for Research
into Global Change (1992)
The Environmental Integrity Group (EIG) is a coalition
which includes Korea, Mexico and Switzerland.
Adaptation Mechanisms
Mexico has risk plans for the federal states; during
the public consultation of the ENCC in 1997, the need
arose to create the GT-ADAPT to place greater
emphasis on actions for the prevention and mitigation
of Climate Change.
Disaster prevention, Regulation of environmental
impact and risks in the Federal District.
Land use planning and Environmental Impact Studies.
Mitigation Mechanisms
Atmosphere
Control of Atmospheric Contamination.
Transport
Regulation for the Prevention and Control of
Conta mination Generated by Automotive Vehicles
Circulating in the Federal District and the Municipalities
of the Conurbation; Declaration of Standards for
Vehicle Emissions: New Fuels and Technology;
Legal provisions granting tax and economic incentives
to promote sustainable transport and the use of
energy efficient private vehicles.
Energy
Recently the Congress of the Union approved the
"energy reform" package, which includes amongst
other things the Law for the Sustainable Use of
Energy, the Law for the Use of Renewable Energy
Sources, and Financing for Energy Transition.
The Secretariat has a commission to coordinate
actions and programmes to promote energy savings
and renewable energy sources.
Waste
General Law for Waste Prevention and Integrated
Waste Management.
Water
Law on National Water.
Forests
General Law for Sustainable Forest Development,
2003, Biodiversity and the coastal area, General Law
on Wildlife, 2000.
General Law of Ecological Equilibrium for the
Protection of the Environment; Environmental Law of
the Federal District.
International Cooperation
Mexico has received institutional support and
executed projects related to Climate Change jointly
with the following internacional organisations: UNDP,
GEF, North American Development Bank, IDB and
JICA.
By the end of 1997, GEF had carried out projects in
different sectors related with Climate Change worth a
total of US$ 388.82 billion
CDMs - Clean Development Mechanisms
Approved CDMs
Mexico has 114 projects approved. Seventy small
projects, all with Switzerland, are for the rehabilitation
of livestock farms and sanitary landfills. In the case of
the big projects, the nation with the greatest number
of projects is still Switzerland, with three projects from
Spain, France and Japan in the wind-power energy
sector. The CO 2
equivalent absorbed is calculated at
more than 7.5 million tons CO 2
/eq.
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