Meeting Notes Summary - Dec. 15, 2009

MEXICO
A Developing Countries Contribution
1:00 PM

Notes by William Hallmark

Mexico has announced short, medium, and long-term goals. President Calderon is leading the effort, which involves his administration and includes a public education campaign.

2009-12 Program

A government-supported plan calls for staggered emissions reduction rates from 30% by 2020 to 50% by 2050. An action plan is in place but depends on financial assistance as contemplated in the KP and BAP.

Economics of Climate Change

Climate change and its negative externalities, from higher temperatures to unpredictable rain patterns, is costly and increasingly so. Current projection predicts a 1% reduction in GDP due to climate change, varying by sectors. We need an international agreement to deal with these problems.

Fourth National Communication

All signatories to the Convention are obligated to produce national communications regarding green house gas emissions and other matters, which take two years to produce. Mexico is the first developing country to produce a Fourth Communication, showing both total emissions and emissions by year and by sector within years. Emissions per unit of GDP are coming down, but emissions increased 40.3% in last decade. Looking at 40 year period, we see increasing temperatures and reduced moisture. Mitigation is focused on REDD programs and other World Bank programs. Adaptation is also a high priority at the local level.

Clean Development Mechanism (CDM)

First programmatic CDM to be developed, it is transferrable and the World Bank sees it as a big step forward. Project Green Light distributes 30 million CFLs to replace incandescent lights with huge savings. Goal is to replace 300 million.