The governments of Canada and Mexico agree that an efficient and competitive North American economy is vital to creating jobs, strengthening the middle class, and ensuring sustainable economic growth.
During their bilateral meeting, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and President Enrique Peña Nieto renewed their close bilateral relationship on environment, climate change and energy – and highlighted the opportunity for North America to become the world’s most competitive player in the clean growth economy.
Canada and Mexico have a long history of environmental collaboration, which has deepened since the entry into force of the North American Agreement on Environmental Cooperation in 1994. Earlier this year, both countries also signed the historic Paris Agreement, as well as the North American Energy Ministers’ Memorandum of Understanding on Climate Change and Energy Cooperation.
Canada and Mexico have also adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which commits them to take strong action on a range of environmental, economic, and social goals.
The Paris Agreement
Canada and Mexico reaffirm their commitment to ratifying the Paris Agreement, beginning with their respective Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs). Canada recognizes Mexico’s leadership in becoming the first developing country under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change to present its INDC –with ambitious emission targets and integrated actions.
Canada and Mexico will continue working together under the Carbon Pricing Leadership Coalition to promote carbon pricing as an effective mitigation tool, and aim to increase the Coalition’s membership.
Reduction of Short Lived Climate Pollutants
Canada and Mexico plan to continue collaborating under institutional arrangements such as the Canada-Mexico Partnership and the Climate and Clean Air Coalition to Reduce Short-Lived Climate Pollutants. Canada and Mexico also support finding alternatives to high global warming potential hydro fluorocarbons (HFCs) and greener technologies – both domestically and globally.
Clean Energy
Through the North American Energy Ministerial Memorandum Concerning Climate Change and Energy Collaboration and other mechanisms such as the G20, Canada and Mexico recommit to phasing out fossil fuel subsidies and increasing cooperation to strengthen their energy sustainability, security, and efficiency to succeed in the clean growth economy. This includes:
Regulatory Cooperation: The Alberta Energy Regulator’s Centre of Regulatory Excellence (CORE), a world-class regulatory training institute, is working in partnership with Mexico to build momentum on regulatory best practices in the responsible development of hydrocarbon resources through workshops and other mechanisms.
Academic Cooperation: Canada and Mexico will continue academic collaboration toward developing, modernizing, and training today’s workforce for a responsible oil and gas sector. Partnerships forged this year include between the universities of Alberta and Calgary and Mexico’s Secretariat of Energy, as well as the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology with Mexico’s Institute for Technical Development Support and Mexico’s High-tech Training Centre.
Indigenous Consultation: Recognizing the importance of non-state actors in the transition to low-carbon, clean, and sustainable development, Canada intends to share best practices and information on Indigenous-Crown consultations to support Mexico’s implementation of an institutional framework for meaningful Indigenous consultation in the energy and mining sectors.
Environmental Stewardship and Protection
Canada and Mexico share a common goal of promoting the resilience of ecosystems through conservation and restoration. Parks Canada and Mexico’s Comisión Nacional de Áreas Naturales Protegidas have committed to developing a memorandum of understanding that will facilitate information sharing and best practices.
From a forest sector perspective, the two countries signed a memorandum of understanding on the exchange of wildland fire resources in 2014. Canada is very grateful for Mexico’s provision of highly-trained forest firefighters to combat the extreme wildland fire challenges in our country especially these past two years. The two countries will continue to engage in joint research and other cooperation on the role of forests in climate change mitigation using Canada’s Carbon Budget Model.
Through a Mining Working Group under the Canada-Mexico Partnership, Canada and Mexico will strengthen collaboration on mining-related initiatives, including in the areas of Indigenous engagement, sustainable economic development, environmental regulation, critical materials, and green/clean energy technologies.