Mexico - National planning on short-lived climate pollutants

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With support from the Coalition's SNAP intiative, Mexico has taken ambitious leadership in order to address short-lived climate pollutant (SLCP) emissions and the impacts of air pollution and climate change in the country.

In 2019, Mexico launched their National Strategy to Reduce Short-Lived Climate Pollutants and is pursuing an integrated strategy to improve air quality and reduce climate change impacts using nine mitigation measures in eight key sectors. The plan will advance Mexico’s domestic development imperatives while also contributing to the attainment of the country’s climate change commitments to reduce total GHG emissions by 22% in 2030 under the Paris Agreement. Full implementation of identified measures would result in a 53% black carbon emission reduction by 2030 compared to the baseline scenario, exceeding identified NDC targets, and would reduce methane emissions by 9%.  

Mexico has long been a global leader in mitigating SLCPs, especially black carbon and methane. The country has included a target to reduce black carbon emissions by 51% in their climate change commitment and explicitly recognised the need to include SLCPs in climate change mitigation and air pollution improvement plans in their General Law on Climate Change.

Objectives

The objectives of the support provided by the SNAP Initiative was to provide technical assistance and funding for the to undertake a national planning process on short-lived climate pollutants, and implement resulting mitigation measures, specifically: 
 

  • Strengthen coordination and action on short-lived climate pollutants 
  • Identify major emission sources, their likely evolution and mitigation potential 
  • Assess the co-benefits of action 
  • Prioritise the most relevant measures at national scale 
  • Identify ways to promote and implement these mitigation measures 
  • Incorporate short-lived climate pollutants into existing plans and activities where they are not currently considered 
  • Support the implementation of priority measures and track progress 

What we're doing

Phase I – Institutional Strengthening – Complete  

In 2013, Mexico played a key role in establishing and participating in the first phase of the SNAP Initiative of the CCAC to initiate a national planning exercise on SLCP mitigation. To begin this process, institutional capacity was created within the National Institute of Ecology and Climate Change (INECC) to coordinate SLCP activities across all relevant sectors, Ministries, agencies, and research institutions. Following the establishment of this national team, an extensive multi-sectoral consultative process took place to identify primary sources of SLCP emissions as well as data and information gaps. A national SLCP inventory was then created from existing emission inventories, and Mexico’s Special Programme on Climate Change was launched in 2014 to develop SLCP reduction targets in key black carbon-emitting sectors along with mitigation measures. This process was supported by INECC, the Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI), the CCAC Secretariat and UNEP, and additionally contributed to the first inclusion of black carbon emission reduction targets in an INDC as published by Mexico in 2015.  

Phase II – National SLCP Planning – Complete 

With this structure in place, INECC then conducted extensive consultations including several workshops that brought together stakeholders to develop mitigation implementation pathways, corresponding indicators, and responsible institutions. Once completed, this process resulted in the Integrated SLCP Strategy to Improve Air Quality and Reduce the Impact of Climate Change launched in December of 2019. This national strategy on SLCPs identifies the ways in which targets can be achieved through the implementation of 9 mitigation measures in 8 key source sectors including transport, sugar mills, brick kilns, livestock, air conditioning, solid waste, and residential energy.  

The SNAP project also supported climate change reporting efforts, working to include SLCPs in the 6th National Communication and 2nd Biennial Update Report. These efforts resulted in a chapter within the document specifically on SLCPs and outlining their importance to achieving climate change mitigation targets. The document established effective SLCP management as a prerequisite for climate change mitigation projects in Mexico.  

Phase III – Support for the Implementation of the SLCP Strategy – Ongoing

The overall coordination of the plan is now being pursued by INECC along with the CCAC Secretariat, and SEI, with sectors leading the implementation of specific activities. The SNAP initiative continues to provide support to Mexico for further integration of SLCPs into climate change planning processes, and to support the implementation of priority mitigation measures within sectors. Full implementation of the strategy would reduce black carbon emissions by 53% in 2030, exceeding the target identified in Mexico’s INDC. It would also reduce total GHG emissions by 9% primarily through methane emission reduction, in turn contributing substantially to international commitments to reduce total GHG emissions by 22% in 2030. To date, Mexico has begun implementing specific measures focused on SLCP abatement, working to introduce new bus standards, reduce cookstove and brick kiln emissions, and improving waste management practices in coastal wetland communities. The following objectives are being pursued:  
   

  • Integrate SLCP mitigation in Climate Change Planning, and Reporting in Mexico 
  • Integrate GHG and air pollutant emission inventory processes  
  • Review and revise National SLCP Strategy to reflect new national context 
  • Taking forward priority actions in key SLCP source sectors to implement National SLCP Strategy 
  • Development of effective monitoring and reporting framework and tools for National SLCP Strategy and integrated air pollution and climate change planning 

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