Mexico Advances Climate, Clean Air Cooperation

Mexico is advancing its climate and clean air agenda by strengthening action on short-lived climate pollutants and boosting cooperation on air quality programs.

Environmental and academic authorities gathered in a working meeting led by the National Institute of Ecology and Climate Change (INECC) to reaffirm cooperation between the CCAC and the Mexican government. The objective was to advance priority measures in key sectors and define a roadmap toward COP30. As a result of the event, actions are expected to strengthen the national strategy for SLCP mitigation, secure greater political support, improve regulatory coordination on methane, and establish co-financing mechanisms.

SLCPs are pollutants with a relatively short lifespan in the atmosphere, ranging from days to decades, but are considered powerful drivers of global warming. The most important include methane (CH4), black carbon (BC), tropospheric ozone (O3), and certain hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs). Because their presence in the air is relatively short, rapid action to reduce emissions can produce results within weeks or years, yielding immediate benefits for health, ecosystems, and the climate in the near term.

José Luis Samaniego, Deputy Minister of Sustainable Development and Circular Economy, SEMARNAT, noted that the focus on tackling SLCPs fully aligns with Mexico’s climate change efforts. “Reducing methane, HFC, and black carbon emissions represents an immediate and effective opportunity to accelerate climate action, while advancing the transition toward cleaner energy,” he said.

Abraham Ortínez, Acting Director General, INECC, emphasized that for more than a decade, the CCAC has supported Mexico by financing 10 projects across priority areas. He highlighted that these efforts have laid a solid foundation for developing public policies and advancing technological and innovative solutions.

In 2024, at COP29, Mexico and the CCAC reaffirmed their commitment to reducing these pollutants by collaborating in strategic areas such as improving air quality in Monterrey and cutting methane emissions from livestock. Within this framework, the joint mission seeks to strengthen subnational action, expand the scope of public policies, and lay the groundwork for long-term cooperation that supports Mexico’s international commitments.

In parallel with this agenda, and in commemoration of International Day of Clean Air for Blue Skies, observed on Sept. 7, SEMARNAT, in coordination with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), held the seminar Air Quality Programs in Mexico. The event aimed to enhance institutional cooperation and advance more effective public policies to reduce emissions and protect public health.

The seminar addressed key topics for air quality management in Mexico, including the development and updating of ProAire programs as strategic planning tools, and the use of emissions inventories to guide more precise diagnostics and define priority sectors. Discussions also highlighted the importance of comprehensive air quality assessments that incorporate accurate data from monitoring systems, along with environmental and meteorological analyses, to link them more effectively with emissions inventories.

Other measures identified included vehicle inspection programs, sustainable mobility, biomass management, and the strengthening of atmospheric monitoring. The workshop also presented lessons learned from the implementation of the ProAire program in the Mexico Metropolitan Area.

On progress in the field, Sergio Zirath, Head of the Directorate General for Industry, Clean Energies and Air Quality Management, Mexico’s Subsecretariat for Environmental Regulation, noted that authorities are working on developing an official Mexican standard for high-pollution events (air quality contingencies). “The idea is that once certain pollution concentrations are reached, local and federal authorities will take action,” he explained in an interview with UNEP.

Zirath also highlighted that Mexico City is developing a mobile application that, with user permission, tracks location data and sends notifications when pollution levels could affect health. The tool also factors in specific vulnerabilities, such as older adults, pregnant women, children under six, or individuals with comorbidities. “This will further strengthen the protection of public health,” he said.