Gland, Switzerland: Mexico's plans to increase its renewable energy supply from 15% to 25% of total energy supply by 2018, sets the pace globally for a much needed increased ambition towards the UN climate negotiations in Lima, Peru later this year, according to WWF.
Mexico's plans would reduce about 15% of emissions from the power sector, according to WWF´s preliminary estimations. © WWF-Canon / Adam Oswell
Mexico´s Energy Secretary Pedro Joaquín Coldwell today announced new renewable energy targets for President Peña Nieto's 2013-2018 Administration. This means almost doubling the electricity output to 80 TWh by 2018 coming from renewable sources, which would reduce about 15% of emissions from the power sector, according to WWF´s preliminary estimations.
Samantha Smith, leader of WWF's Global Climate & Energy Initiative says, “We are already facing severe consequences of climate change in the world, and Mexico is no stranger to that. The science is out and the IPCC has made it very clear: if we do not decarbonise our energy sector and shift to renewable energy soon, chances to tackling climate change are nonexistent. So this move bodes well for further ambitious country-level actions,” she says.
Omar Vidal, WWF-Mexico's Director-General warmly welcomed the announcement. “This not only means an ambitious, short-term renewable energy target for Mexico, but helps create trust and confidence among all governments in the run-up to the Lima conference, and sets the pace for other countries in Latin America with similar potential. All countries, developing and developed, must show leadership in this crucial time.”
Vanessa Pérez-Cirera, WWF-Mexico's Climate and Energy Program Director, says while Mexico has an enormous renewable energy potential and can do much more, doubling the electricity output in a 6-year period would be remarkable for an emerging economy based on oil and gas, and with ever increasing energy demands.
“Importantly, the new renewable energy target generates higher certainty and incentives for renewable energy investors and project developers. The biggest remaining gap for a quantum leap on renewables in the country is the still lacking medium and long-term renewable energy targets within the current legislation stemming from the Energy Reform that would boost certainty for the much needed long-term renewable energy investments in Mexico.”
WWF International, 20 May 2014 – wwf.panda.org
