Mexico´s federal states contribute to achieving the Nationally Determined Contribution

In order to achieve Mexico’s ambitious goals stated in its nationally determined contributions (NDCs), trained personnel who develop and implement mitigation and adaptation measures with significant, measurable and affordable impacts is required within the federative entities. To strengthen federal states’ capacities for contributing to NDC implementation, on behalf of the Mexican Federal Government, Mexico’s Secretary of the Environment and Natural Resources (SEMARNAT) and the Mexican National Institute of Ecology and Climate Change (INECC), with the support of the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH, are holding a series of workshops for sub-national stakeholders. These workshops provide federal states with tools that support them in effectively implementing and monitoring mitigation and adaptation activities within the framework of the Paris Agreement.

The regional workshop Strengthening Subnational Capacities and Impacts on the Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) held in the city of Hermosillo in the federal state of Sonora, Mexico, on 5 and 6 of October 2017 was the second event in this workshop series. It brought together 40 representatives with key positions in ministries, institutions and academia from the states Baja California, Coahuila, Chihuahua y Baja California Sur, Sonora, Sinaloa and Tamaulipas. Host state Sonora was represented by executive and legislative members. The event was co-organised by the Commission for Ecology and Sustainable Development of Sonora (CEDES) and SEMARNAT.

The event featured plenary sessions, presentations of success stories by the region´s federal states as well as interactive sessions which were facilitated by the association Solutions to Environmental Legislation and Policy (POLEA). Of particular interest were the presentations on the Sonora Green Growth Strategy, the Adaptation to Climate Change Project of Flora and Fauna Protected Areas of the Islands of the Gulf of California presented by the National Commission on Natural Protected Areas (CONANP), the Climate Change Program of Baja California and the School Energy Efficiency Project of Sinaloa.

During the workshop, participating states were given the opportunity to strengthen synergies and to reflect on key steps to coordinate climate change activities in Northern Mexico, thereby helping to contribute to the country´s international climate goals.

So far, four regional workshops have been held, the last one on 24 and 25 January in Mexico City. A total of 193 participants from 30 federal states, municipalities, the academics and civil society have attended and shared 25 success stories implemented by the states.