Supporting Mexico's Net-Zero Emissions Goals through Climate-Smart Actions

The USAID Partnership for Net Zero Cities is helping five major cities and states in Mexico invest in energy efficiency measures and reduce carbon emissions as they grow

Mexico is the second largest economy in Latin America and leads the region in energy efficiency efforts. Between 2014 and 2018, the country reduced its annual energy consumption by one-sixth through policies and regulations. However, the country still has a long way to go to achieve its goal of net-zero emissions after 2030 and net-zero buildings by 2050. The action of cities and states in Mexico are critical for meeting these national targets and many already have climate plans in place. 

Supporting Mexico Achieve Net-Zero Emissions

The USAID Partnership for Net Zero Cities is leveraging these existing frameworks and engaging stakeholders across five of Mexico’s most populous cities and states, including Hermosillo, Monterrey, Guadalajara, Mexico City, and Mérida. The partnership is helping these cities and states reduce and avoid greenhouse gas emissions as they grow by:

• Adopting energy efficiency measures for net-zero buildings by 2050. 
• Accelerating transitions to zero emission urban transportation systems.
• Reducing short-lived climate pollutants used in the industrial and waste sectors.
• Mobilizing green financing for energy projects and improving municipal governance. 

In doing so, the partnership is creating jobs and accelerating Mexico’s transition to a more robust and greener economy that can prosper for years to come.

A partnership-based approach to reduce greenhouse gas emissions

RTI is leveraging an approach informed by consultations with over 60 local stakeholders to help these cities and states reduce and avoid greenhouse gas emissions.

For example, the partnership’s grant fund aims to spur adoption of new technologies such as energy efficient cooling technologies for buildings, electric vehicles for public transportation, and converting landfill gas to energy for waste sites.

Net-zero buildings and transportation

Energy efficiency measures and technologies—and awareness of these tools—can help cities create more green buildings and public transportation systems that reduce emissions and avoid them as they further grow. To this end, the partnership is helping municipalities develop and enforce energy efficient building codes and stricter fuel standards, while promoting green building certification and labeling, and improving the efficiency of public transit systems.

The partnership is engaging the private sector and real estate investors to increase the use of efficient cooling systems in residential, commercial, and municipal-owned buildings—particularly important as Mexican cities are experiencing a building boom driven by population growth.

The partnership is also helping municipal governments identify, implement, and incentivize the most promising opportunities for shifting from single occupancy driving to greener options like walking, biking, and public transit that uses electric vehicles. Measures to modernize public transportation aim to not only reduce greenhouse gas emissions but also improve services and enhance equitable access.

Accelerating change through multi-faced support

Across all interventions, the partnership prioritizes research as well as outreach and capacity building to enable lasting transitions to greener technologies and systems. Demonstration projects aim to spur development of energy efficient buildings and adoption of new technologies by showing stakeholders what is possible. Market analysis and information will increase understanding of energy efficiency opportunities across stakeholders, including the private sector and investors.

Advisory services and technical support will help cities and states determine their needs, develop comprehensive green project capital investment plans, and build the capacity they need to successfully implement them. Technical trainings and knowledge sharing will scale impact, while advocacy by local actors will promote adoption of additional energy efficiency measures, including those aimed at reducing the use of short-lived climate pollutants. These pollutants include methane emissions from solid waste and black carbon emissions from industries like brick making, sugar milling, and small boilers.

By working with and through local partners and leaders, the partnership is empowering local champions to address climate change and elevate locally led solutions that have the potential to scale across the country.

Learn more about RTI’s energy and climate change solutions.