This hybrid event presented the concept of the 'Team Europe' Initiative and unveiled the new actions to be implemented through the EUROCLIMA+ programme.
14 March, 2022. Mexico City, Mexico. In the framework of the Team Europe Initiative for a green transition model in Mexico, the Delegation of the European Union in Mexico, the Agencia Mexican Agency for International Development Cooperation (AMEXCID) and the Undersecretary for Multilateral Affairs and Human Rights of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (SRE) with the International Affairs Coordination Unit of the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (SEMARNAT), presented in a hybrid event the EUROCLIMA+ Action Plan with Mexico. This reaffirmed the partnership and solidarity among partners to work in an ecological, fair, sustainable and inclusive manner while responding to human development priorities. One of the main programmes that will contribute to achieving this goal is EUROCLIMA+, the European Union's flagship regional programme on environmental sustainability and climate change in Latin America.
The event, held at the Mexican Ministry of Foreign Affairs, was prominently attended by Ambassadors of some European Union Member States, authorities from the federal environmental sector, members of the Federal and State Congress, among others. In addition, people from several European and Latin American countries were able to follow the live broadcast of the event.
In his speech, the European Union Ambassador in Mexico, Mr. Gautier Mignot, recalled that Team Europe is made up of the European Union, its Member States, funding institutions and implementing agencies: "It represents a new era of working better together. It is our response to a changing geopolitical landscape, which increasingly requires collective, swift and decisive action at multilateral and national levels," he emphasised. Ambassador Mignot added that Team Europe in Mexico has identified, together with Mexican counterparts, the "Team Europe Initiative for a green and inclusive transition model in Mexico" as one of the major joint work priorities for the coming years.
Regarding this initiative for a green and inclusive transition model, Mr. Raul Alvarez Villaseñor, Director General of Project Operations in Mexico of the Mexican Agency for International Development Cooperation (AMEXCID) stressed that the strategic partnership between Mexico and the European Union is and has been very relevant for the achievement of the objectives of Mexican foreign policy as it has allowed us to address the various problems we face and to which bi-regional and transnational solutions have been provided through international cooperation.
For his part, Miguel Ángel Zerón Cid, Head of the Coordinating Unit for International Affairs of the Ministry of the Environment and Natural Resources, and National Focal Point to EUROCLIMA+, stressed that "the current programme took as its starting point the recognition that we in the environmental sector have of the close link between the protection and conservation of the environment and the well-being of the population. We believe that the Country Action Plan is a clear example of how we can transform cooperation to bring the strategies of the desk to the territory hand in hand with the communities that need it most”.
Connected from Brussels, Felice Zaccheo, Head of Unit for Mexico and Central America of the EU Directorate General for International Partnerships, pointed out that EUROCLIMA+ underscored that, through EUROCLIMA+ and with the support of the Government of Mexico, through SEMARNAT, the Country Dialogue process began in 2020, which involved various stakeholders and through which a series of priorities were identified to support climate policy in Mexico.
Zaccheo said that as a result of this dialogue, the four actions presented today were selected: "A broad and ambitious work plan has been put together to support Mexico's policies and strategies to promote ecological management, monitoring, nature-based solutions and access to climate finance," he said.
The French Ambassador to Mexico Jean-Pierre Asvazadourian reiterated: "France and Mexico share the same vision for the future, which is based on green recovery and transition. I am very pleased to celebrate the launch of this initiative and to underline the contribution of the French Development Agency as Mexico's partner in the framework of the EUROCLIMA+ Programme”.
For her part, the Chargé d'Affaires of the Embassy of the Netherlands in Mexico, Anne le Guellec, commented: "Adaptation to climate change is a priority for the Netherlands; we need a greener and fairer model where no one is left behind and which favours the development and well-being of all populations. This is why we, the member countries of the European Union, have committed ourselves to achieving climate neutrality by 2050".
In the words of the Spanish Ambassador to Mexico, Juan López-Dóriga Pérez: "One look at the horizon is enough to renew the conviction that by joining forces we will reach the Sustainable Development Goals sooner, without leaving anyone behind, and as a team. Europe understands this key and has put together a solid team to win the game of sustainable development, in which Spain is a key player and we want to continue working shoulder to shoulder with our strategic partner, Mexico".
The EUROCLIMA+ Country Dialogue process maintains a flexible and demand-driven approach and considers the involvement and commitment of various stakeholders. The results of this dialogue process are finally reflected in the Country Action Plan which, in the case of Mexico, includes four strategic actions formulated jointly with the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (SEMARNAT), the Ministry of Agrarian, Territorial and Urban Development (SEDATU) and the main agencies involved in implementation (DGPCC-INECC, CONANP, CONAFOR, among others).
The actions are as follows:
- Action 1 – SEDATU: “Integration of the ecological, land-use and urban development programmes into a single instrument".
- Action 2 - CONANP and CONAFOR: Capacity building for monitoring land use changes and estimating greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the land sector in Natural Protected Areas of Mexico.
- Action 3 –– INECC and DGPCC: Analysis of the contribution of Nature-based Climate Action Solutions (NbCAS) to the implementation of Mexico's climate objectives.
- Action 4 – INECC: Capacity building and guidance on accessing climate finance for small-scale community-based implementers of climate change adaptation measures to support Mexico's Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC).
In addition to this presentation, and always in the context of the Team Europe Initiative, a face-to-face technical event entitled "Operational Workshops" will be held on 15 March. This event aims to advance the design and planning of each of the four identified actions. The workshops will be divided into two segments: on the one hand, there will be a technical presentation of the Action Plan and its contribution to public policies for adaptation and mitigation of the effects of climate change and, on the other hand, there will be working groups between the Mexican authorities and the implementing agencies of the EUROCLIMA+ programme.
More information for the press:
- Ekaterini Makri, Press Adviser at the Delegation of the European Union to Mexico: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
- Alexandra Cortés, Communication and Visibility Expert, EUROCLIMA+ Secretariat This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
About EUROCLIMA+
EUROCLIMA+ is a programme funded by the European Union and co-financed by the German federal government through the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), as well as by the governments of France and Spain through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation.
The Programme's mission is to reduce the impact of climate change and its effects in 18 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean, promoting mitigation, adaptation, resilience and climate investment. It is implemented according to the "Spirit of Team Europe" under the synergistic work of seven agencies: the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID), the French Development Agency (AFD), the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), Expertise France (EF), the International and Ibero-America Foundation for Administration and Public Policy (FIIAPP), the German Society for International Cooperation (GIZ) GmbH, and the UN Environment Programme (UNEP).