Mexico addressing climate change and economic growth
By Adina Moloman
Sources: Reuters, The New Climate Economy
According to the New Climate Economy report, today is very possible to tackle climate change at the same time as improving economic performance in any country.
So, there is a strong correlation between economic growth and addressing climate change based on efficient government’s policies, where public and private businesses need to improve resource efficiency, invest in good-quality infrastructure, and stimulate technological and business innovation.
Mexico took a shot and has become the first developing country that was enacting a climate change law in 2012, meeting the United Nations challenges.
The Mexican government commitment is to halt the rise of climate warming gases by 2026, and then reduce them even more with 22% by 2030. The Mexico climate action plan is very ambition and on a voluntary base since the Kyoto Protocol requires greenhouse gas emissions reductions only from industrialized nations.
A long time commitment with the climate change was adapted in an Energy Transition Law – which sets a 2050 goal of producing 60% of the country’s electricity through clean energy sources, but is pending approval in Mexico’s Senate.
A short time commitment to the climate change was made last year, planning providing 25% of its energy from renewable sources by 2018. These means that the country will almost double its electricity output from renewable sources creating huge business opportunities for the Sectors doing their manufacturing in Mexico, those highly dependent on major infrastructure on renewable energy plants.
Late March 2015 United States and Mexico announced they would partner on a high-level bilateral clean energy and climate policy task force with the purpose of harmonization of both countries climate policies. In order to achieve such plan Mexico demanded for technical cooperation, technology transfer, etc., which is not that simple to get into the practice.
The Mexican government agreed to adopt cleaner fuel standards for cars and heavy trucks, modernize the electrical grid and boost renewables.
