Adaptation and Mitigation to climate change

     Total carbon dioxide emissions in Mexico are associated mainly with change in land use,

the generation of energy, and transport. Although Mexico is among the 20 countries with

the greatest greenhouse gas emissions per capita, these are much lower than those of the

developed countries.     

     Mexico is already experiencing longer and much hotter periods, more intense hurricanes and rains, and frequent floods and mudslides. The Mexican government realizes that If climate change is not addressed immediately, the economy is expected to decline and suffer significant costs. Mexican Government has demonstrated its commitment, long-term vision, and political will to addressing climate change through its policies and its active role.  

     Mexico is considered a global leader in this area and has a sound records of addressing climate change challenges. The strategy for climate resilient and low carbon economic growth is one of the most ambitious in the world. The main areas are energy efficiency and renewable energy, water management, disaster risk management, clean and efficient transport, forests management, and sustainable productive rural development.

     Mexico has accelerated the development of its legal, institutional and programmatic platform for the unfolding of a wide range of environmental policies, supported in a growing co-responsibility between the government and people. This favors a synergy between attention to national environmental problems with the fulfilling of our international commitments concerning global problems, such as that of climate change.

         Ø        In 1988 the General Law of Ecological Balance and Protection of the Atmosphere

(LGEEPA, initials in Spanish) was gazette, as well as the respective laws in the states;

this law contemplates the dispositions regarding ecological classification, evaluation of

impact and environmental risk, protection of flora and fauna, the rational use of natural

resources, prevention and ecological restoration of natural resources, social

participation and ecological education, as well as control, safety and sanction measures.

    Ø   In 1989 the National Water Commission was created as sole authority in the federal

area regarding water administration, granting it technical and operative autonomy; in

the respective Law of National Waters, with the reform of 1992, the regulation of the

use or exploitation of national waters was improved, and the preservation of their

quality.

ENERGY POLICY. The energy sector has played a decisive role in the economic and social development of Mexico. Over a long period of time, this policy prioritized self-sufficiency in energy supply as a goal; at present, other equally important goals have been added to this: the promotion

of energy saving, technical and economic efficiency in its use and supply, the reference of

domestic prices to international prices and the consideration of new guidelines established

by the environmental policy of the country for the energy sector.

Mexico’s General Law on Climate Change

     The new General Law on Climate Change allows Mexico to spin efficient mechanisms will provide  opportunities for reducing the country’s greenhouse gas emissions and could transform Mexico into a clean energy economy. This law aims to establish an inter-ministerial Commission on Climate Change and create a climate fund to collect and channel resources for climate change initiatives to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (mitigation). It states that the National Policy on Climate Change will include a process to diagnosis, plan, measure, monitor, report, verify and evaluate greenhouse gas emissions and compounds emitted by the country.

Climate Change Impacts On North America

Increasing greenhouse gas concentrations will have many effects as Increase Earth's average temperature, Influence the patterns and amounts of precipitation, Reduce ice and snow cover, raise of the sea level and Increase of the acidity of the oceans. In the North America, specifically, the average temperature will be a couple degrees higher that the average global mean. The seasons will be more extreme; hotter days during the winter and cold temperature during winter. Considering Mexico, lakes and reservoirs will be at critical lows and that forecast the drought.

 Agriculture and fisheries are highly dependent on specific climate conditions. While increases in temperature and carbon dioxide can be beneficial for some crops in some places, changes in the frequency and severity of droughts and floods could pose challenges for farmers. Crops tend to grow faster in warmer conditions. However, for some crops the faster growth reduces the amount of time that seeds have to grow and mature.  This can reduce the amount of crop produced from a given amount of land.

http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/impacts-adaptation/agriculture.html

       Acording to IPCC, Global climate change effects North America, decreasing snowpack in the western mountains; 5-20 percent increase in yields of rain-fed agriculture in some regions; increased frequency, intensity and duration of heat waves in cities that currently experience them. Also Over the past decades, economic damage from severe weather has increased dramatically. Predicted rising temperatures will continue to melt snowpack and will increase evaporation, affecting seasonal availability of water. As North America and the rest of the planet continue to warm, the conservation of diminishing water sources will likely become a major focus for local communities and public land managers. Other anticipated changes include the expansion of severe wildfires, increased drought frequency and severity, increased plant and disease outbreaks and insect infestations, and the degradation of vulnerable habitats, all with major implications for wildlife. 

http://www.wcsnorthamerica.org/ConservationInitiatives/ClimateChange.aspx

Mexico's contribution to climate change

1.

a) The value for CO2 emissions from gaseous fuel consumption (kt) in Mexico was 111,139 as of 2009. Over the past years this indicator reached a maximum value of 112,254 in 2008 and a minimum value of 6,384 in 1960.

b)Fossil-fuel carbon dioxide emissions from Mexico grew exponentially at a rate of 6.5% per year from 1891 to 1982. Since 1982, total fossil-fuel CO2emissions have slowly grown and now stand at 130 million metric tons of carbon. Emissions growth over time has been due to increasing oil production and in 2008, 59.8% of emissions were from petroleum products, the highest fraction of crude oil dependence of the major CO2-emitting countries.

2.

a) Per capita emissions (1.20 metric tons of carbon in 2008) are slightly below the global average. Consumption of natural gas has become increasingly important in Mexico and now accounts for 23.6% of fossil-fuel CO2 emissions.

b) Mexico is ranked 91 on the list for the world’s most CO2 emitting countries. The United States of America is ranked 12.

c) I found information from one article, saying that by 2020, Mexico aims to cut its greenhouse gas emissions by 30 percent, and by 50 percent by 2050. It also calls for 35 percent of Mexico's energy to come from renewable sources by 2024 and requires government agencies to use renewable energy.

3.

a) In the Carbon Emissions graph above, it shows that Mexico is much lower than the United States and China. However, India does emit almost as much  CO2 as Italy.

b) China was the largest emitter of CO2 in 2010.

c) American person is still emitting the largest amount of CO2, because the population of America is much fewer than China, and America’s amount of CO2 being released almost as high as China’s.

d) US - 94,225,770 , China - 36,152,087, India - 9,679,291, Mexico - 6,324,794 Italy - 5,579,562, , Kenya - 86,840

e) China/US = 38%. India/US = 11%. Cumulatively, China emits about 38%, and India 11% of what the United States emits.

4. The two graphs show different time periods. The Fossil Fuel Emissions graph shows a longer span of time. Both graphs show an increasing trend line, and they are similar. Emissions - the actual amount the country is using. Concentrations – amount that ends up in the atmosphere