Energy Protectionism in Mexico Has Made Climate the Victim

Five years ago, Mexico was the first developing country to submit a plan to cut carbon emissions in the lead up to the landmark Paris Agreement. Last month, it joined climate recalcitrants like Russia and Brazil in failing to boost efforts to combat global warming.

Mexico’s updated proposal to the United Nations capped two years of environmental backsliding under nationalist President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador. Members of the Paris accord are expected to boost their targets every five years, but Mexico instead maintained its goal of cutting emissions 22% by 2030, compared to business as usual.