Biden and Mexico’s Climate Policy

Published in El Heraldo de Mexico
(Mexico) on 1 February 2021
by Isabel Studer (link to originallink to original)
Translated from by Hannah Bowditch. Edited by Margaret McIntyre.
There are significant implications for our country. We can look forward to more attention being paid to the commitments outlined in the Paris climate agreement.

The fight against climate change is a priority issue that affects national security and a theme that runs throughout President Joe Biden’s agenda, accelerating the global market and technology trends toward an energy transition.

The United States’ return to the Paris climate agreement and the cancellation of the Keystone XL pipeline are just two of many executive actions already taken by Biden during his first few days in office that look to quickly reverse the more than 100 executive actions of his predecessor. His climate plan involves an investment of $2 trillion that aims to free the electrical network from fossil fuels by 2035 and achieve net-zero emissions by 2050.

The fight against climate change is now a priority for all areas of government. By declaring it an issue of national security, Biden could, for example, invoke the National Emergencies Act of 1976, to use funds from the Department of Defense in the development of renewable energy on military bases and to prohibit the export of petroleum.

Biden’s climate agenda is driven by social justice, another important topic. To serve the communities that have been affected by environmental pollution or by the energy transition, he has created a new Interagency Council in the White House, as well as specialized offices in the Justice Department and in health care agencies. The federal budget, for example, is looking to make $10 billion available to support the most vulnerable communities in the face of climate change disasters.

The implications of this climate policy are significant for Mexico. From a foreign policy point of view, we can look forward to more attention being paid to Mexican commitments in the Paris agreement. On his campaign trail, Biden highlighted the link between the impact of climate change and migration from a national security perspective, in relation to his plan for international cooperation in Central America. This is something Mexico cannot ignore.

Juan González, Biden’s advisor for the Western Hemisphere in the National Security Council, considers electrical interconnection as a way to integrate markets, mobilize investments and consolidate renewable energies. However, tensions cannot be overlooked as Mexican policy stands in stark contrast, questioning the liberalization of the energy sector and the rules of United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, and ignoring the link between economic recuperation and social and environmental justice.


La política climática de Biden y México

Las implicaciones son significativas para nuestro país. Podemos esperar más atención a los compromisos en el Acuerdo de París

La lucha contra el cambio climático es un tema prioritario, de seguridad nacional y transversal en la agenda del presidente Joe Biden, con lo que se acelerarán tendencias globales de mercado y tecnológicas hacia una transición energética.

El regreso de Estados Unidos al Acuerdo de París y la cancelación del ducto Keystone son sólo dos de las múltiples acciones que ya ha emprendido Biden en sus primeros días de gobierno y que buscan revertir rápidamente las más de 100 acciones de su predecesor.

Su plan climático implicará una inversión de $2 billones de dólares para que al 2035 la red eléctrica esté libre de energías fósiles y al 2050 la economía sea cero emisiones.

La lucha climática ya es prioridad para todas las agencias de gobierno. Al declararlo tema de seguridad nacional, Biden podría, por ejemplo, invocar la Ley de Emergencia Nacional de 1976, para usar fondos del Departamento de Defensa en el desarrollo de energías renovables en bases militares y prohibir las exportaciones de petróleo.

La agenda climática de Biden está vinculada a la de justicia social, otro tema prioritario. Para atender a las comunidades que se ven afectadas por la contaminación ambiental o por la transición energética ha creado un nuevo Consejo Interministerial en la Casa Blanca, así como oficinas especializadas en el Departamento de Justicia y en las agencias de salud. Por ejemplo, en el presupuesto federal se busca liberar 10 mmdd para apoyar a los más vulnerables frente a los desastres climáticos.

Las implicaciones de la política climática son significativas para México. Desde la política exterior, podemos esperar una mayor atención a los compromisos mexicanos en el Acuerdo de París. En su plataforma electoral, Biden señalaba el vínculo entre los impactos climáticos y la migración con la perspectiva de seguridad nacional para su plan de cooperación internacional en Centroamérica. Tema que México no podrá ignorar.

Juan González, asesor de Biden en el Consejo de Seguridad Nacional para el Hemisferio Occidental, considera la interconexión eléctrica como una vía para la integración de los mercados, movilización de inversiones y consolidación de las energías renovables. No pueden descartarse las tensiones, ya que la política mexicana es contraria, cuestiona la liberalización del sector energético, las reglas del T-MEC e ignora el vínculo entre recuperación económica, justicia social y ambiental.

This post appeared on the front page as a direct link to the original article with the above link .

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