On 30 March 2015, Mexico submitted its Intended Nationally Determined Contribution (INDC) and in doing so became the first developing country to publish an INDC ahead of COP21. In their submission, Mexico committed to an unconditional reduction of 25% of its greenhouse gases (GHG) and Short Lived Climate Pollutants emissions (below BAU) by the year 2030. As the submission explains, ‘this commitment implies a reduction of 22% of greenhouse gases and a reduction of 51% of Black Carbon.’
Furthermore, Mexico conditionally committed to increase the 25% reduction to a 40% reduction in GHG and Short Lived Climate Pollutants subject to there being a global agreement addressing a number of important topics. These topics include international carbon pricing, carbon border adjustments, technical cooperation, access to lowcost financial resources and technology transfer.
According to Mexico’s submission,
‘Mexico’s INDC is highly ambitious as it entails unconditional and transformational investments to change our patterns of production and consumption and achieve peak net emissions within the commitment period.’
These commitments are supported by a range of policies and laws including the General Climate Change Law 2012, the National Strategy on Climate Change 10-20-40 years 2013, the Carbon tax 2014, the National Emissions and Emissions Reductions Registry 2014, the Energy reform (laws and regulations) 2014, and the ongoing process for new set of standards and regulations.
These commitments, according to the submission, are ‘fair and ambitious’ and demonstrate that Mexico is a ‘responsible party committed to tackling global climate change’.
The full text of Mexico’s INDC submission can be accessed here.