How do Mexican residents ask the Mexican government to comply with the Paris Agreement? »Yale Climate Connection

youReaders who are not ours ask us:

How do Mexican residents ask the Mexican government to comply with the Paris Agreement?

We asked Tree Meinch, who lives in Mexico, to answer this question for us. Here is your answer:

In terms of international treaties and cooperation, the current climate targets face great resistance in North America.

Donald Trump returned to the president on January 20, 2025, and announced that he would evacuate the United States again from the Paris Agreement, and the country is already behind in achieving its climate goals.

Mexico is also very late in its international commitment to stop climate change. Mexico's latest qualifications are “critical”, said the climate action tracker for independent assessment projects.

This scientific project evaluates the commitments and progress of each country in the Paris Agreement, an international treaty designed to face climate change as a global emergency. Its core goal is to reduce emissions of heat absorbed from fossil fuels and other sources, enough to limit global temperature rises to less than two degrees Celsius.

However, in recent years, Mexico's federal policy and economy have taken the opposite route, favoring investment in renewable energy by investing in fossil fuels, which has attracted attention among climate activists and institutions.

On the other hand, focus on climate change is increasing Mexico’s population, which shows the concern of many readers on who asked this question.

A survey of more than 1,700 participants in Mexico in 2023 showed that 61% believed climate change would affect them to a large extent. (Editor's Note: The survey was conducted by Yale's Climate Change Communications Program, which also released this site).

In addition, 88% of respondents in Mexico believe that climate change should be a high or high priority for the government. By comparison, only 58% of respondents in the United States say the same.

Think small and act locally

Mobilizing the National Government is an overwhelming task for anyone. But that doesn't mean there is no effective way to create stress.

“I believe that if the pressure is not from the international level, the federal government will pay,” said Rogelio O. Corona-núñez, an atmospheric scientist at the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM). Specialized climate and climate are climate and climate. Climate exchange.

But this answer seems frustrating and does not mean that individuals do not have power. This simply means they have to redirect their efforts.

According to Corona-Núñez and other environmental leaders, the key to climate resilience and sustainable solutions is to consider small-scale behavior and develop collectively.

“You have to start with local changes. Provide knowledge and training for the community and the general population,” Corona-Núñez said.

When these efforts work, they create visible and inspiring changes that affect people’s daily lives and over time, they can affect federal and even international policies.

Huatulco's Ecological Movement

Corona-Núñez points to the Huatulco community in Oaxaca, an outstanding example of how local movements can promote huge changes in Mexico.

Over the past 30 years, Huatulco has become a model for tourism and sustainable development on the South Pacific coast. The tourist area covers more than 32 kilometers of coast, with 9 scenic bays and a protected ecological reserve covering more than half of its territory.

With the growth of hospitality and tourism infrastructure, development has taken a different approach: Today, communities use 100% clean grids.

Lorenzo Alfaro Ocampo, one of the leaders of the local sustainability movement, moved from Cancun to Charolco in the 1990s after falling in love with his pristine landscape.

He works in the hospitality industry and after witnessing the excessive and harmful developments in Cancun, he promises to be sustainable.

“My thought: we have to keep this,” said Alfaro Ocampo, who had no experience in sustainability at the time. “We have to find a way to keep Huatulco unchanged to keep it.”

According to him, the foundation of the Huatulco ecological movement was established by a group of investors in the 1990s who promoted sustainable tourism development. This led to the establishment of an investment committee that guides growth in the region.

“We are not thinking that the government complies or does not comply. When asked how to put pressure on the National Government, we are thinking about what we can do.

Build a green team

In 2005, Alfaro Ocampo was overseeing the community’s sustainable development initiatives by Huatulco Green Team, a non-profit civil organization. His work helped Huatulco from Earthcheckan international environmental management system for tourist destinations.

The certification means carbon neutrality commitment, sustainability audits, and annual reports on water and energy consumption, carbon emissions and waste management, among others, as well as other environmental indicators.

According to Alfaro Ocampo, the key to success is to include people from all departments of the community.

In 2015, Huatulco became the first tourist community in the United States and the second in the world to receive Earthcheck's platinum certification. Currently, he has the highest recognition: Master Certification.

The sustainable movement spread rapidly to other sectors, including road planning and growth of Bayes de Hoturco International Airport, which became the first Latin American airport certified by Earth Check.

Cities such as Baja California SUR and Sierra Gorda Biosphere Reserve have replicated the Huatulco model and obtained their own certification for sustainability. Even a city in Portugal has invited the Huatulco Green team to share their experiences.

Huatulco's history shows the power and scope of locals who have in Mexico when they coordinate through non-governmental entities, Corona-Núñez said.

“After organizing with the hotel, they organize with the community and then at international airports. Then, due to great interest, the federal government wanted to implement the strategy they were using.” “Then the government merged and adopted Huatulco’s approach and methods to adopt other tourist destinations.”

Other efforts of federal action

One of the main problems with the Paris Agreement is the lack of consequences or sanctions on non-compliance countries, Coronona-Núñez explained.

The Center for Environmental Law of Mexico (CEMDA) is a civil society organization that has been committed to defending Mexico's right to a healthy environment since 1993. In his efforts, he put forward climate requirements against the federal government, demanding that his commitment be followed.

Margarita Campuzano, director of communications at CEMDA, explained in an email that the group will continue to insist that Mexico must abandon fossil fuels to achieve its climate goals.

On an individual level, government pressure can also be achieved through voting, providing candidates with historical and clear advice to support the environment.

Although Campuzano is optimistic about the Presidential Administration of Claudia Sheinbaum and its commitment to the Paris Agreement, Corona-Núñez is even more skeptical.

He concluded: “Mexican politics is more focused than on paper that simulates what they are implementing, but the reality is lack of implementation.”