June 15, 2009: Mexico boosted its image as a global leader in climate change in December 2008, when it announced it had set the goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions to 50 percent below 2002 levels by 2050.
Now Mexico is embarking on a comprehensive strategy to cut emissions and reduce energy use while also potentially putting the Mexican economy on a low carbon growth path.
The plan will get a $500 million boost from a new Clean Technology Fund supported by eight governments, managed by the World Bank, and administered by the World Bank Group and other multilateral development banks.
Mexico is among the first countries to tap the $5.2 billion fund that provides grants and low-interest financing to pilot and scale up low carbon technologies and make other changes that reduce energy use and pollution.
On June 5, during the celebration of World Environment Day in Mexico, President Calderon launched the Special Climate Change Program (Programa Especial de Cambio Climático – PECC). As with all government programs, the PECC is considered part of the 2007-2012 National Development Plan (NDP), and in particular, part of the environmental sustainability pillar of the NDP. The PECC establishes a low-carbon development scenario for Mexico, identifying priorities and financing sources, both domestic and international.
“Mexico has recognized it will be heavily impacted by the effects of climate change,” says Ricardo Ochoa, Head of the International Affairs Unit of the Ministry of Finance. “The good news is it has decided to act accordingly. That means that despite not being a significant contributor to greenhouse gas emissions globally, it wants to send a signal it’s important to take action.”
The strategy involves every sector of the economy, but the $500 million from the Clean Technology Fund endorsed in January will boost the country’s efforts on cleaner urban transportation, energy efficiency, and renewable energy, especially wind power.
Kilde: http://www.worldbank.org
