Cámara Verde Issues Call to Action at Climate Week LATAM 2025

The Ministry of Economy (SE) hosted the inaugural session of Climate Week LATAM 2025, a landmark event organized by Cámara Verde LATAM and the Mexican Association of Green Business and Industry, in collaboration with the U.S. Green Chamber of Commerce. The gathering marked the first time this regional initiative—now in its sixth consecutive year—was held within a federal government venue in Mexico, symbolizing the growing alignment between public institutions, private enterprise, and civil society around the urgent need for climate action.

At the opening panel, Mauricio Cárdenas, President, Cámara Verde LATAM, emphasized the significance of uniting diverse sectors under one roof. “This event makes history because it brings together all actors of society—public, private, and social—within a multilevel governance framework to address the global challenge of climate change,” he said.

Eva Cisneros, Executive Director, Mexican Association of Green Business and Industry, underscored the importance of human well-being as the foundation of sustainability. “Before we can transform industries, we must take care of ourselves as individuals,” she said. “In a world driven by technological acceleration, it is essential to pause, reflect, and reconnect—with ourselves, with others, and with nature.” Her remarks called for conscious capitalism that balances innovation and ethics, economic growth and empathy.

Erika Valencia, Executive Coordinator of México por el Clima, noted that this year’s national event brought together more than 450 speakers and thousands of participants from the public, private, and academic sectors. “Our goal was to make Mexico the epicenter of climate innovation in Latin America,” she said. “Beyond an event, we’re building a living, year-round platform that fosters collaboration, tracks progress, and turns commitments into measurable action.” She added that initiatives launched during the week will feed into Mexico City’s upcoming Climate Action Plan and serve as a model for other Latin American cities.

Representing the private sector, José Ramón Ardavín, Executive Director of the Center for Studies on the Private Sector and Sustainability (CESPEDES), highlighted the growing integration of ESG principles into business strategy. He stressed the importance of creating the right regulatory and market conditions for sustainable growth. “There can be no prosperous companies in a fragile society,” he stated, calling for shared responsibility among government, industry, and citizens. Ardavín pointed to Mexico’s leadership in recycling infrastructure and emphasized the need for stronger incentives to make sustainability economically viable.

Closing the opening session, Héctor Ochoa, Executive Director of the National Council for the 2030 Agenda at the Ministry of Economy, reaffirmed the government’s commitment to sustainable development. He announced upcoming national consultations on the USMCA review and a new Circular Economy Law, both designed to align Mexico’s trade and industrial policies with environmental priorities. “The 2030 Agenda belongs to everyone,” Ochoa said. “Every citizen, business, and institution has a role to play in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.”

Following the opening panel, the event featured four thematic sessions addressing governance, agri-food sustainability, climate finance, and renewable energy. The first panel, Public Policy and Education for Climate Action, included municipal and federal representatives such as Senator Emmanuel Reyes Carmona and Congresswoman Luz María Rodríguez Pérez, who discussed the importance of intergovernmental collaboration on climate education and legislation. They were joined by Alma Denisse Sánchez Barragán, Mayor of Moroleón, Guanajuato, and President of AALMAC, and Víctor Sánchez González, Undersecretary of Higher Education for the State of Mexico.

The second panel, Regenerative and Sustainable Agri-Food Chains, focused on agroecological practices and regenerative production models, featuring Diana de la Sancha of Kool Farming, Nora E. Torres Castillo of KAAPEH México, Luiz Espinoza Jaramillo of the Pascual Boing Cooperative, Paloma González Quijano of Silimo, and Alberto Flores Olivas, Rector of the Antonio Narro Autonomous Agrarian University.

During the third panel, Climate and Sustainable Finance, experts including Mtro. Alejandro Pagés Tuñón of Cámara Verde LATAM and Cindy Diakité of Viwala emphasized the role of ESG investment and private capital in accelerating decarbonization. Their remarks were complemented by contributions from Siddharta Flores of NAFIN, Julio Román of BANCOMEXT, and Mariana Silva of NTT Data.

The final session, Renewable Energy, brought together José Ramón Ardavín Ituarte of CESPEDES, Carlos Mendieta of PETSTAR, Edwin Hernández of ECOLED, and Eduardo Sánchez Martínez, former Director of Nuevo León’s Renewable Energy Agency. The speakers collectively underscored the need for coordinated policies and financing to achieve a just energy transition across Latin America.