Mexico Unveils Marine, Coastal Environment Assessment

The Mexican government presented the Marine and Coastal Environment Assessment for the South-Central Pacific Region, a technical document that will guide the country’s first national Policy on Seas and Coasts focused on ocean and biodiversity protection. 

Marina Robles, Deputy Minister of Biodiversity and Environmental Restoration, Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (SEMARNAT), said the diagnosis offers a detailed overview of environmental conditions and provides a foundation for planning conservation and restoration strategies. “Having a diagnosis helps us a lot; it clarifies many of the issues we already know. The list of problems is not exclusive to the seas and coasts but relates to broader environmental challenges around the world. The assessment allows us to better understand how to execute different types of actions,” she said.

The strategies derived from the assessment will integrate existing government initiatives, such as the National Environmental Restoration Program and the National Strategy for Beach and Coastal Cleanup in Mexico. Robles noted that President Claudia Sheinbaum has urged the government to work toward a zero-waste republic, citing the fact that much of the trash found along coasts originates inland.

Robles also emphasized the need for collaboration among institutions, environmental organizations and local communities to address biodiversity loss and promote a blue economy that balances ecological and socioeconomic interests. “Achieving this requires alliances because there are no borders in the sea, on land or anywhere else. The challenges we face are not just for future generations but also for ourselves, as we already experience the impacts of climate change and local environmental issues,” she stated.

Fernando Camacho, Environment, Energy and Resilience Officer, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Mexico, highlighted the importance of the country’s four major marine ecosystems and welcomed progress on coastal and marine management. He added that the administration is advancing complementary initiatives, including President Sheinbaum’s recent decree banning pesticides and projects with SEMARNAT and the Ministry of Agriculture to reduce agrochemical use in the upper Isthmus of Tehuantepec.

The assessment, delivered by Alejandro Arrivillaga, Project Manager, Sustainable Pacific, is a collaborative effort documenting the environmental conditions of marine and coastal ecosystems from Jalisco to Chiapas. The study identifies key issues, including habitat degradation, loss of biodiversity, declining fishery resources and water pollution, and evaluates their environmental and socioeconomic impacts.

According to SEMARNAT, the document will serve as a technical basis for designing policies and programs that link national priorities with regional challenges across the Central American Coastal Pacific Large Marine Ecosystem (GEM PACA).