Bolivia & the Global Fight Against Climate Change
In the past year, the Bolivian government has emerged as an outspoken critic of climate change policies.
The integration of the US and Mexican economies was crafted at a time when energy was a politically untouchable theme of cooperation. Clean energy was still a commercial aspiration. That world has changed, and the nature of the US-Mexico economic and energy relationship needs to change with it to sustain industrial competitiveness, create jobs, and deliver affordable goods and services to US and Mexican citizens.
As argued in the report, the imbalance between net-zero commitments and the lack of action plans by most countries to get there will lead to a period of intense legislation and regulation to correct the course. How Mexico and the United States collaborate on energy and climate policies and regulations in the next five years could shape their economic potential for decades.
The energy transition before Mexico and the United States, and for that matter, the rest of the world, will have profound challenges. Ignoring these challenges will undermine economic competitiveness and most profoundly disadvantage the poor who have little resilience for economic dislocation. Seizing those challenges together, between Mexico and the United States, will create opportunities for both countries. Here are some of the most profound:
Carbon Markets and the Poor: Manufacturers, energy producers, and financial institutions all need to reduce emissions. Mexico has the forests and agricultural lands that can absorb carbon or reduce emissions from deforestation. Carbon markets can link the two, with sales of the offsets addressing social welfare for the poor. Even though much needs to be done to close gaps on monitoring and verification, the foundational connections exist.
Energy Efficiency and Consumers: Buildings account for 39 percent of global emissions, with weather and power inefficiencies wasting fuel and increasing costs to households. Among the most exposed are the urban poor. Both Mexico and the US can target scalable efficiency programs, led by cities, focused on household efficiency solutions for the urban poor.
Unlocking Investment: The world cannot function without power and energy. The infrastructure and energy base in both countries needs to be expanded and renewed, from grids to transmissions lines to retiring obsolete generation plants. This is the moment for compatible policies and regulations that unleash private investment seeking predictable returns and zero-emission assets.
The incoming Biden administration and the López Obrador administration perhaps bring different perspectives on energy, but they share common objectives to create jobs and seek social justice for their citizens. Collaboration on a sustainable energy future can open surprising opportunities that will leave both countries stronger and more resilient — with the chance of fulfilling a promise to preserve our planet for future generations.
In the past year, the Bolivian government has emerged as an outspoken critic of climate change policies.
The question remains if Mexico has achieved a degree of institutional development consistent with its participation in those organizations.
Focusing on transnational crime is a top priority of the Obama administration’s policy in Latin America.