Recording Mexico’s coastline in detail is essential to understanding its dynamics and conserving and sustainably using its natural resources.
Mexico has a continental area of 1,960,189 km2 (INEGI) with 15,069 km of total coastline, according to the cartography generated by the National Commission for the Knowledge and Use of Biodiversity (CONABIO), developed to record the country’s coastline in detail, which is essential to understanding its dynamics, and conserving and sustainably using its natural resources (CONABIO, 2019).
Coastal ecosystems, mainly mangroves, seagrasses and marshes, have a great capacity to capture and store carbon dioxide (CO2) in the form of organic carbon – also known as “blue carbon” – which makes them important allies for climate change mitigation. According to CONABIO’s Mexico Mangrove Monitoring System (SMMM), Mexico is the country with the fourth largest mangrove area in the world with approximately 905,086 ha (CONABIO, 2020). Its carbon dioxide (CO2) absorption power is up to 5 times greater than that of terrestrial forests, and its storage power up to 10 times greater. However, mangroves are also essential tools for adaptation to climate change, as they function as barriers against tropical storms, floods and hurricanes, thus protecting coastal communities.
The conservation of blue carbon ecosystems is essential to guarantee the wellbeing of Mexican society, particularly coastal communities, because in addition to being allies in the fight against climate change, they provide environmental, social and economic benefits, safeguard biodiversity, store carbon, and offer livelihoods.
Preserving their existence generates the need to strengthen their legal protection, in light of the numerous natural and anthropogenic threats they face, as well as tackle the existing challenges related to the design of strategies, policies and laws aimed at their conservation and restoration.
Although strategies and approaches to the management of coastal and marine ecosystems exist, it is necessary to design, develop, complement, strengthen and implement legal provisions and policies focused on addressing the existing threats and challenges, and particularly on recognizing the potential of blue carbon ecosystems to increase the resilience of coastal communities to the effects of climate change.
With a clear purpose and working collaboratively on behalf of blue carbon ecosystems, legislators in Mexico have been encouraged to contribute to the strengthening of the national institutional and legislative framework, taking a comprehensive approach that addresses the following aspects:
- Budget: ensure sufficient budget for Branch 16 (environment), so that institutions in this sector can meet national objectives and international commitments regarding the environment and human rights, in the short, long and medium term.
- Strengthen the environmental legal framework by:
- Defining the concept of “blue carbon” in the General Climate Change Law (LGCC), and incorporating concepts related to the topic, such as carbon absorption, fixation, storage, compensation, reduction, etc.
- Including the term “green carbon” in the LGCC to highlight the importance of freshwater wetlands and refer to the carbon sequestered by them.
- Complementing the protection of other blue carbon ecosystems, through the General Wildlife Law (LGVS) and the Federal Criminal Code.
- Providing clarity on the protection of wetlands of international importance (Ramsar Sites).
- Balancing various laws, such as the LGVS, the National Water Law (LAN) and the General Law for Sustainable Forestry Development (LGDFS).
- Providing certainty through legislation to the ownership rights of blue carbon ecosystems, especially mangroves and marshes, and the benefits derived from their conservation.
- Define and regionalize the regulations for permits and authorizations: clearly define the permitting and authorization processes related to the conservation and restoration of mangrove and other blue carbon ecosystems, taking into account the different needs of these ecosystems determined by their region in the country and seasonality.
- Regulated carbon market: Incorporate the conservation and restoration of blue carbon ecosystems, mainly mangroves, as a tool for offsetting emissions within the regulated carbon credit market, covering aspects such as: clarity on administrative and tax issues, competent authorities, timing, commitment of those who buy and must reduce emissions, applicable processes and methodologies, ensuring benefits for communities, ecosystems and climate.
These collaborative efforts for blue carbon ecosystems have identified the need to work in parallel to strengthen public policies in this area. A key element is the publication and implementation of the National Blue Carbon Strategy, committed to in Mexico’s Nationally Determined Contribution.
By protecting and restoring the country’s blue carbon ecosystems, we are generating better living conditions for coastal communities and society at large, and advancing in the fulfillment of various international commitments such as the Paris Agreement and the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.
Regional Headquarters