The Mérida City Council participated in the 28th Conference of Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP28), held in the United Arab Emirates from November 30 to December 12.
The main objective of the conference was to bring together world leaders to establish joint measures for mitigation and adaptation to climate change, based on information provided by experts from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).
Representing Mayor Alejandro Ruz, Alejandra Bolio Rojas, director of the Sustainable Development Unit, participated in the panel “Challenges facing cities/Governance”, in which she shared Mérida’s vision regarding climate challenges and highlighted the city climate plans and objectives.
Bolio Rojas stressed the importance of planning, ordering, and aligning all growing sectors, highlighting the priority of the municipal sustainability area in generating adaptation and mitigation strategies in the face of climate change. She reported on significant achievements, such as the update of the Inventory of Emissions of Greenhouse Gases and Compounds (IEGyCEI) (base year 2020) and the completion of the Climate Change Vulnerability and Risk Analysis of the City of Mérida.
Merida climate change
This recent information is contributing to the development of the Municipal Climate Action Plan 2024 and has been reported on the international platform CDP, which makes visible globally the actions of local governments that meet global sustainability goals.
Bolio Rojas highlighted that, according to the IEGyCEI, the energy sector is the main emitter of Greenhouse Gases (GHG) in the city.
Gradual transition to clean energy
In response, a gradual transition to cleaner energy with the collaboration of the State Government is underway to implement world-class sustainable public transport.
Mérida participates in international initiatives such as “Alliances for Climate Action” (ACA), a network of coalitions committed to leading the socioeconomic transition towards GHG neutrality by 2050 and keeping global temperatures from rising more than 1.5°C.
Bolio Rojas concluded by highlighting the importance of establishing synergies between the public and private sectors to optimally meet the goals of the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC).
“These international meetings, such as COP28, are fundamental to the global climate agenda, offering the opportunity to establish crucial negotiations in the fight against the current climate crisis”, Alejandra Bolio Rojas, director of the Sustainable Development Unit concluded.
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