Mexican Program Inspires COP26 Agreement
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Mexican Program Inspires COP26 Agreement

Photo by:   Dmitry Dreyer
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Paloma Duran By Paloma Duran | Journalist and Industry Analyst - Wed, 11/10/2021 - 05:42

President López Obrador highlighted that the reforestation plan agreed by 105 countries at the United Nations Conference on Climate Change (COP26) was based on his Sowing Life program. The program seeks to address the main migration problems in Central America and southern Mexico through the creation of agricultural jobs.

During COP26, world leaders that represent more than 85 percent of the planet's forests agreed to work together to reverse deforestation and land degradation by 2030. The plan was signed by 105 countries. However, Mexico did not appear on the list of signatory countries, which generated controversy as the country ranks 11th among the nations with the most forests.

The Foreign Ministry reported that Mexico had signed the agreement and that  the COP26 agreement was based on López Obrador's Sowing Life program. “The most significant thing about that meeting was the signing of the agreement, which was based on our reforestation program,” said López Obrador.

In addition, the president emphasized that Mexico currently invests US$1.3 billion in reforestation programs, which makes it "the country in the world with the most important reforestation program. There is no country in the world that is investing that amount," said López Obrador.

López Obrador said other nations do not invest as much for the benefit of the environment and they only participate in trending summits. "What we have to do is make decisions and act, not just speeches. The most powerful countries continue to increase oil production, at the same time that they are holding these summits to face climate change. Enough of hypocrisy,” said López Obrador. As a result, he called on world leaders to be more responsible and invest more in these programs.

While the migration crisis worsens  in the US and Mexico, the president has put more pressure on the US government to consider his Sowing Life program that seeks to create jobs and reactivate the local economies in Central America and southern Mexico by addressing the region's two main problems: rural poverty and environmental degradation. However, according to experts, this is a long-term plan and is not designed to address many of today's problems.

In addition, three years after the program began its implementation in Mexico, it has been classified as low quality in design and in compliance by the Federal Public Programs Performance Index (INDEP) 2021 elaborated by the non-governmental organization Government Social Cooperation and Management (GESOC). GESOC explained that the program aimed to benefit 1.8 million people in the country´s 32 states. However, it has only benefited 415,692 people in 20 entities.

Photo by:   Dmitry Dreyer

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