Event: Launch of the Climate Transparency Report 2020 in Mexico

Governments need to rethink how to proceed with a just energy transition, as science has warned about the irreversible environmental consequences if the Earth’s average temperature exceeds 1.5°C. This has also been discussed during the Climate Transparency’s Mexican online launch event entitled: “Resultados de México en el Reporte 2020 sobre la Transparencia Climática”.

Álvaro Umaña, Climate Transparency’s Co-Chair, provided an opening statement on Mexico’s climate policies, emphasizing that “the country is currently reviewing its national commitments and we hope it can increase its ambition level to meet its Paris Agreement commitments”.

The event, organised on 30 November, 2020 by Iniciativa Climática de México (ICM), Climate Transparency’s Mexican partner organization, gathered more than 150 participants, including key stakeholders, representatives of the public, private sectors and civil society.

During the launch of the Climate Transparency Report 2020 in Mexico, the importance of transparency in the context of the current global health and climate crisis has been discussed. “The COVID-19 crisis has unfortunately severely impacted not only societies and individuals around the world, but hit also economies. Therefore, vis-a-vis the current economic crisis, we have the opportunity to offer green recovery plans, which will not only determine the future of economies and social well-being, but also the future of decarbonization in G20 countries”, said Jorge Villarreal, Director of Climate Policy at ICM.

Afterwards, Mariana Gutiérrez from ICM presented the key findings of the 2020 Country Profile of Mexico.  “The goals in Mexico’s NDC 2016 are not on track for the aim of 1.5°C scenarios and there is plenty of room to increase ambition and align emissions to Paris Agreement pathways” she stated.

Following, Climate Transparency’s partners Enrique Maurtua Konstantinidis (FARN, Argentina) and William Wills (Centro Clima, Brazil) shared the main findings on Argentina and Brazil based on the Climate Transparency Report 2020. They also explained the situation of economic stimulus packages that are being given in both countries.

Andrew Marquard (ESRG, South Africa) closed the event by presenting the main results of the NDC Transparency Check assessment. He stated that “NDCs have a major economic, social, environmental and financial impact. Unless we analyze this with a critical eye, with full transparency, with comparable data, with open and verified methodologies regarding how NDCs are built and monitored, we will not be able to robustly address the implications of the climate agenda”.

In his closing remarks, Jorge Villarreal concluded that “decarbonization, just energy transition and the reduction of emissions are not only terms around climate change or around international negotiations, they increasingly are the guiding instruments for economic, social and political decision-making in years to come”.

To find out more about the current status of Mexico’s climate action, outlooks, and options of action, please have a look at Mexico’s Country Profile, the summary report or watch the recording of the online event.