Mexico Vows to Cut Carbon Pollution 50 Percent
by 2050
Dec 15, 2008 -- Voice of America News/ContentWorks
Mexico is pledging to cut its carbon pollution in half by 2050 in an effort
to address climate change.
Environment Minister Juan Rafael Elvira made the comment Thursday during
United Nations climate talks in Poznan, Poland. He said Mexican President
Felipe Calderon will provide more details in February and that the target is
half the amount of greenhouse gases emitted in Mexico in 2002.
Separately, a new World Bank report calls on Latin America not to sacrifice
efforts to confront climate change in the midst of the global economic
slowdown.
The report "Low Carbon, High Growth: Latin American Responses to Climate
Change" says while Latin America is not a major polluter compared with
others, its carbon emissions are increasing and that its countries and
citizens, especially those living in extreme poverty (less than a dollar a
day) are highly vulnerable.
The report says based on current trends, it is projected that between 2005
and 2030, per capita carbon energy emissions will grow by one third, higher
than the world's average of 24 percent.
The World Bank, however, is urging the international community to look to
Latin America for innovative solutions to avert a climate crisis,
The bank says Latin America, as the world's most biodiverse region, is in a
position to lead middle income countries in areas such as reducing emissions
from deforestation, improving energy efficiency and transforming urban
transport. The report says Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico and Peru are
five of the world's 10 most biodiverse countries.
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