Schoolgirl crosses street

After 13 years of local impact, WRI Mexico officially opened 4 programs that work as a door to Spanish speaking countries: Cities, Climate and Energy, and Forests and the Ocean. For 13 years, we worked as the cities program under the CTS EMBARQ Mexico, and in 2016 we became WRI Mexico.

Cities 

By 2030, over 80% of Mexico's population will live in cities. Tackling urban inequality and enhancing cities’ abilities to mitigate and adapt to climate threats will be a top priority. Mexican cities need integrated transport systems, safe public spaces, better cycling, and pedestrian infrastructure. They also need to find solutions and shape policy to improve their air quality, protect and enhance their sources of potable water, and enable better integrated urban planning to meet these ambitions.

In response to these challenges, the Urban Development and Air Quality teams in WRI Mexico work on the development of original research and innovative solutions to measure and improve the urban equity of over 70 cities across the country, create powerful global partnerships and mechanisms to catalyze implementation of nature base solutions to enhance urban infrastructure, and develop the capacities needed by city decision makers to meet their air quality goals. WRI Mexico enables positive influence to address critical issues related to climate and social justice.

Climate and Energy

Mexico’s Climate Change and Energy Program contribute to enhance climate action and achieve an inclusive and green transition of the energy sector. We focus on three priority areas:

  1. Changing the narrative at the national level, through strong arguments about opportunities and social benefits around more ambitious climate goals;
  2. Subnational action, leading a dialogue and capacity building activities among state-level governments and relevant stakeholders in support of decarbonization and adaptation policies;
  3. Private sector engagement, focusing on ways to get more companies in Latin America committing to science-based targets and accessing clean energy and energy efficiency.

Forests and the Ocean

Mexico has over 139 million hectares of forests and jungle that make up more than 60% of the total. Deforestation and degradation create emissions that represent over 9% of Mexico’s carbon emissions. Mexico hopes to achieve a 0% deforestation rate by 2030. At WRI México, we work to help governments in reforestation of devastated areas, increase environmental connectivity and increase carbon capture through conservation and restoration. 

With more than 10,000 kms of coasts and 1.5 times more maritime surface than land territory, Mexico holds vast marine and coastal ecosystems, vital for the economy, sustainable development and well-being of its population. We are working for their better understanding and management to keep their numerous environmental services.