Tackling climate change together
In his lecture at the Royal Society Mexico’s President Felipe Calderón Hinojosa emphasised the importance of nations working together to tackle one of the most important challenges of our time – climate change.
After paying tribute to the British Council’s work around the world in the last 75 years and wishing the organisation another 75 years of success, the President stressed the contribution of developing countries in tackling climate change. That the environment is no longer the sole responsibility of the developed nations marks an important change in thinking from the Kyoto era.
'Fighting climate change is not only a question for developed countries. Everybody - developed and developing nations - must act against climate change.'
The most important objective now was not just to agree targets for emissions reduction but to develop a solid strategy for implementing environmental policies.
The President outlined proposals for economic incentives to combat climate change in the form of a Green Fund, an instrument to allow countries, nations and enterprises to finance energy efficiency or carbon emission programmes.
'We need to establish right now an instrument in order to make the world move towards serious carbon emmissions reduction...when you have the right economic incentives you can change a lot of behaviour.'
The President concluded the lecture by paying tribute to the ‘creators, intellectuals and thinkers of the United Kingdom who have shone a bright light on science and art’.
‘It is with this great nation’s universal ideas, timeless culture and knowledge without boundaries that we Mexicans wish to forge a new history of friendship, cooperation and understanding. In this the British Council is playing a leading role.’
With a distinguished background in both public administration and national politics, Calderón was elected PAN (National Action Party) candidate for the Mexcian presidency in 2005 and won the subsequent presidential elections for the period 2006-2012.
Under his leadership Mexico has been a guiding light in addressing environmental issues, showing a commitment to climate change mitigation strategies matched by few other countries.
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