Mexico Sells Green Agenda at Davos, Trump Rebukes Climate Policy

Mexico’s delegation to the World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting in Davos used the second day of talks to promote its sustainable development agenda, court investment and position the country as a reference point for circular economy initiatives. Ahead of the Jan. 22 sessions, Environment Secretary Alicia Bárcena and Altagracia Gómez, coordinator, Mexican presidency’s economic advisory group, briefed the press, framing Mexico as an increasingly proactive player in a rapidly reconfiguring global economy.

Bárcena said Mexico’s presence at Davos underscores the priority President Claudia Sheinbaum’s administration places on direct dialogue with global business leaders and multilateral institutions. She described the WEF as a critical venue for engaging decision-makers across sectors, noting that discussions have ranged from artificial intelligence to development and sustainability challenges.

Those conversations, Bárcena said, have provided a platform to present Plan México, the federal government’s US$277 billion development strategy unveiled in January 2025. She stressed that the plan goes beyond growth targets, emphasizing sustainable development, social inclusion and shared prosperity. A central pillar, she added, is import substitution combined with attracting investment, particularly capital linked to green industries and circular economy models.

“We are presenting Plan México, which is especially relevant for us at SEMARNAT,” Bárcena said. As part of that effort, she is promoting green investments tied to sustainable development and circular economy projects. She said she is also seeking investment for Mexico’s Development Poles for Well-Being (PODECOBIS) and Circular Economy Development Poles for Well-Being (PODECIBIS). According to Bárcena, these circular economy hubs — including one scheduled to begin construction in Puebla — have already generated strong interest from companies focused on waste recovery, recycling and sustainable manufacturing.

Gómez said her participation in Davos has focused on representing the Mexican private sector and showcasing a collaborative development model that aligns government, business and academia. She said the discussions reflect the same approach Mexico has pursued domestically over the past year: reassessing how industrial policy, trade policy and the country’s natural advantages can be better coordinated to attract investment and drive growth.

“We are trying to rethink the relationship between the private sector, academia and government,” Gómez said. “The goal is to align industrial and trade policy so development promotes investment, generates growth and delivers shared prosperity.”

She added that a delegation of 100 CEOs is expected to visit Mexico in March, signaling sustained interest from global executives. According to Gómez, discussions in Davos also centered on how Mexico has navigated recent shifts in global trade policy and how that momentum can be accelerated. “We know we need to grow more, attract more investment — both domestic and foreign — and ensure that investment creates quality jobs and positive social and environmental outcomes,” she said.

Bárcena said the Davos meetings have also served as a listening exercise, allowing Mexican officials to assess broader global conditions. She pointed to rising geopolitical fragmentation and the emergence of a more complex international order. “It has been important to listen to leaders from Europe, Africa and other regions to understand where the world stands today,” she said.

Bárcena’s second-day agenda reflected those priorities. She began with a bilateral meeting with European Commissioner for Environment, Water Resilience and a Competitive Circular Economy Jessika Roswall to discuss cooperation on environmental priorities and circular economy initiatives. Later, she participated in the panel “Water on the Balance,” which examined water’s evolving role as both a basic service and a pillar of global stability.

At midday, Bárcena joined the session “Restoring the Spirit of Dialogue in a Divided World,” focused on political, economic and social responses to growing polarization. She later took part in “Building Artificial Intelligence for the Long Term,” a panel exploring how AI-driven infrastructure and data centers are reshaping energy demand and capacity.

In the afternoon, Bárcena participated in “Artificial Intelligence for Circular Value Chains,” highlighting how AI can help measure, scale and accelerate circular economy practices, including in Mexico. Her bilateral meetings concluded with Alexander Soros, chair of the Open Society Foundations, to discuss a socially focused, just ecological transition and climate resilience, and with Rafael Grossi, director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, to explore opportunities to strengthen technical cooperation.

Day 2 at Davos

The second day of the WEF Annual Meeting at Davos was dominated by a keynote address from US President Donald Trump, who sharply criticized climate and renewable energy policies and escalated expansionist rhetoric regarding US strategic interests in the Western Hemisphere, including renewed calls for American control of Greenland.

Speaking for more than an hour, Trump argued that European efforts to curb greenhouse gas emissions have undermined economic competitiveness. He said the United States would continue rolling back renewable energy projects, singling out wind power as ineffective, and criticized energy policies in Germany and the United Kingdom.

Trump also mocked wind energy, claiming China exports turbines “to the stupid people that buy them, but they do not use them themselves.” Data from Ember Energy and the US Energy Information Administration show that wind accounted for roughly 10% of electricity generation in both China and the United States as of 2024.

A significant portion of Trump’s remarks focused on Greenland, the autonomous Danish territory he has repeatedly threatened to annex since returning to office last year. He described the island as strategically essential for US national and international security due to its Arctic location and rising geopolitical competition involving China and Russia. While pledging not to use military force, Trump warned European leaders that rejecting US demands would carry consequences. “They can say yes, and we will be grateful, or they can say no, and we will remember,” he said.