Mexico’s Climate Change Mid-Century Strategy

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Pursuant to Article 4 paragraph 19 of the Paris Agreement, Mexico submits its Mid-Century Strategy to the UNFCCC. Mexico’s mid-century climate change strategy provides the vision, principles, goals, and main lines of action to build a climate resilient society transition towards a low emissions development. This is in line with the global goal of holding the increase in the global average temperature to well below 2ºC, with additional efforts for the more ambitious 1.5ºC goal. This work also responds to a joint effort by the countries of the North American region, which committed to a North American Climate, Clean Energy, and Environment Partnership. First, in the Introduction we discuss our views about the importance of the MCS instrument of the Paris agreement. Together with the USA and Canada, we present strategies that call for deep greenhouse gas emissions reductions across the economy by 2050, emphasizing the importance of early, ambitious, and sustained action. Mexico encourages other Parties to develop their strategies, and welcomes cooperation in this area. Second, the Context chapter discusses the science, international and national conditions that drive our action. First, we present a brief review of climate science regarding current GHGs concentrations and emissions reductions required to reach the temperature stabilization goal of the Paris Agreement. Then, we briefly discuss international and national actions. Regarding domestic action, key elements of Mexico’s General Law on Climate Change are presented, including the institutional arrangements and instruments. Mexico’s Law already mandates the elaboration of a long-term climate change strategy, thus Mexico issued in 2013 the National Strategy for Climate Change 10-20-40, the basis of this document. Third, we present the Objective of our strategy. This document is a guiding instrument of the national climate change policy, both in the medium and long-term. As the guiding instrument, it describes the strategic lines of action guiding policy at national and subnational levels. It also aims to encourage social participation and co-responsibility. The MCS does not intend to define concrete short-term actions. Mexico has other planning instruments that define short-term policies every six-year term (the Special Climate Change Program and State and Municipal Climate Change Programs.)