Juan Elvira Quesada, Secretary of the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (Semarnat, in Spanish), expressed that due to the lack of international agreements seeking a reduction in greenhouse gases emissions, other alternatives to the Kyoto Accord are being put under the microscope with the purpose of integrating the United States of America, and developing countries such as Brazil and India.
Different possibilities are being evaluated within the framework of negotiations previous to the conference on climate change to be given by the UN in Cancun next December. Furthermore, Mr. Quesada stated that said accord, in which industrialized countries made a commitment to reduce the level of greenhouse gases by 5% in comparison to the 1990 level and whose first commitment period finishes in 2012, must still be in force.
The United States, who produces the most greenhouse gases and generates 22.9 tons of carbon dioxide per capita (almost six times more than China), is not a signatory. Therefore, India and China do not accept the emission limits established in the accord as it could affect their economic growth. ‘The USA ought to sign the accord to achieve the so-cherished equity,’ said Mr. Quesada.
Quesada also stated that Mexico, which makes a 2% contribution of the collective gas emissions, ranks 13th among the most contaminating countries in the world, and that each individual generates 6.4 tons of carbon dioxide, whilst the European Union emits 10.4 tons per capita.
In connection with the impact of climate change upon Mexico City, he warned that a two grade Celsius increase in global temperature would cause an even higher temperature rise in the city. To support his argument, he brought up the case of Residencia Oficial de los Pinos that thanks to its vegetation (it is located near Chapultepec woods) it has a temperature two grades lower than La Condesa.
Keeping an eye wide open on the subject, he urged companies to enter into the Emissions Reduction Purchase Agreement during the ‘Climate Change, Renewable Energy, Energetic Efficiency and Finance Workshop’ held in Banco Nacional de Comercio Exterior (Bancomext). ‘Climate change is not just a pain in the neck,’ he warned, and affirmed that according to ‘Economics of Climate Change,’ a study conducted last year, if Mexico does not take immediate action, it will lose 4.2% of its Gross Domestic Product in the next decades. Against this background, he also said that Mexico is working hard to take advantage of the situation and make a change towards an economy based on sustainable and ecofriendly energies.
Rodrigo Sánchez, chairman of the Agricultural Trust, also expressed his opinion on the subject saying that there are 5 billion Mexican pesos to be invested in renewable energy, and that financial resources have been approved to build 60 swine farms for methane capture (another greenhouse gas), and to adopt Forest Programs.
Finally, Mr. Quesada talked about the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico and confirmed that tougher measures will be taken regarding oil drilling in deep-sea.
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