Mexican President, Al Gore Meet on Climate Change

August 6, 2007 MEXIDATA . INFO

Presidency of the Republic

· Message from President Calderón at the end of the Private Meeting he held with Mr. Albert Gore, former Vice-President of the United States of America

Mexican President Felipe Calderón expressed his admiration for Mr. Gore, his work and extraordinary leadership in raising awareness of the problem of climate change. President Calderón went on to say that, “I have told Mr. Al Gore that he can count on Mexico in this Alliance for Climate Protection, that my government is absolutely committed to the issue and that despite being an under-developed country, we share the idea that all countries, without exception, have something to do. We have a duty towards the protection of the earth and the containment of the problem of climate change.”

He congratulated Mr. Gore for having won the Prince of Asturias Award, and for being nominated for the Nobel Prize for Peace, and they discussed a number of aspects of the National Climate Change Strategy the Mexican government has implemented this year. This strategy includes actions and recommendations for constructing a Gray Agenda for the country, which has to do with modifying energy consumption patterns, as well as a Green Agenda that will enable Mexico to save its forests, rivers, lakes and air. President Calderón added that Mexico is the only developing country that has already submitted three national reports on the gas emissions responsible for producing the greenhouse effect within its borders.

President Calderón and Mr. Gore also discussed a number of Mexico's goals, such as decreeing an additional 3 million hectares of Nature Reserves in Mexico, in order to reach 25 million hectares of protected areas, accounting for nearly 14 percent of national territory. The second goal involves preserving forest reserves, which will mainly be achieved through the Pro-Tree Program, a program designed to pay for environmental services for the integral management of forests and woods in Mexico. The third goal is to use cleaner fuels, as a result of which, from 2009 onwards, all gasoline in Mexico will have a low sulfur content. President Calderón concluded by saying that Mexico will pay close attention to Mr. Gore's advice and the Alliance for Climate Protection, both in the upcoming meetings in Bali and at international forums in which Mexico will participate in actions to protect the earth and combat climate change.
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(Press Release: Presidency of the Republic, July 31, 2007, Mexico City)

– Presidency of the Republic translation