Resilient Mexico Coalition Analyzes Candidates' Climate Plans

The Resilient Mexico Coalition unveiled findings from an analysis of proposals put forth by presidential candidates. The analysis focused on 10 key areas aimed at accelerating climate action in the upcoming six-year term, based on the organization’s 2024-2030 Decarbonization and Climate Resilience Plan.

The next six years are deemed crucial for ramping up climate action, both in Mexico and globally, as emphasized in recent reports by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. The actions or inactions taken during this period will have significant consequences for communities and ecosystems, impacting the rights of present and future generations, highlighted the Resilient Mexico Coalition. 

During a press conference on April 10th, members of the Resilient Mexico Coalition presented their findings, highlighting candidates' interests in areas such as energy transition, universal access to domestic water, development of more sustainable and human-centered cities, and the electrification of mobility. However, the attention given to addressing climate change remains limited.

All three candidates have expressed varying degrees of commitment to the urgency of energy transition. Despite this, concerns were raised regarding Claudia Sheinbaum's apparent interest in fossil fuels, which some find contradictory to the imperative of transitioning to cleaner energy sources.

While certain commitments related to the protection of environmental elements are not explicitly clear in the electoral proposals, scattered elements could contribute to safeguarding these objectives. However, none of the candidates propose the effective implementation of the Escazu Agreement, raising concerns about the lack of security conditions in Mexican territories to effectively implement climate crisis projects.

A crucial aspect for realizing electoral commitments, as well as effective public policy and climate action, is financial considerations. While candidates include proposals to support regional and local development through sustainable projects or renewable energy, concrete plans to transform the financial system aligned with sustainability are absent across all platforms.

Furthermore, emphasis was placed on analyzing other aspects of the proposals that may indirectly impact climate or environmental agendas. For instance, the proposal by one candidate to exempt regulatory impact assessments from certain executive directives could hinder public access to information and participation, potentially affecting environmental decisions.

Lastly, critical topics such as comprehensive protection of oceans and coastlines, biodiversity, and the nexus between healthcare and climate change exhibit notable gaps across all analyzed platforms. Addressing these issues is essential for enhancing community and individual resilience against the adverse impacts of climate change across environmental, social, and economic domains.

The primary objective of the conference was to urge candidates to grow their proposals in the remaining weeks of the campaign. A robust response to the climate emergency, which affects all sectors of the country's economy, will be imperative regardless of the election outcome, emphasized Sandra Guzmán, Director General, Climate Financing Group for Latin America and the Caribbean (GFLAC).