Mexico

Mexico is a country in North America. To the east it is bathed by the Atlantic, with the large gulf that takes its name, and to the west and south by the Pacific Ocean. To the north it shares a long border with the United States, while to the southeast it borders Belize and Guatemala.

The territory is mostly occupied by a central plateau which extends for 2,000 km in length and 500 in width, surrounded by various mountain ranges, the eastern part is the flattest.

Due to the conformation, position and morphology of the country, the water courses are almost all quite short in relation to the surface of Mexico. Climatic conditions are linked more to altitude factors than to latitude. Overall the climate is tropical, but with increasing altitude it becomes more temperate; rainfall is higher in flat areas, as are temperatures. Some areas of Mexico receive little water and take on typically desert and arid characteristics, while the north-eastern part often undergoes the channeling of continental air masses, not being protected by any mountain range.

In 2008, Mexico City became the first city in the country to develop and implement a local plan in response to climate change. Six years later, the Second Climate Action Program, (PACCM), was launched, which sets out actions to increase resilience and combat climate change with a planning tool that integrates, coordinates and promotes methods to reduce the environmental, social and economic risks caused by climate change.

Environmental cooperation with Mexico was strengthened with the signing, in Rome, on July 20^th, 2016, of the Memorandum of Understanding between the Italian Ministry of the Environment and the United Mexican States Secretariat for the Environment, (SEMARNAT).

The Memorandum of Understanding takes into consideration the objectives set by Mexico in its "Nationally Determined Contributions", (NDCs), and has the objective of carrying forward the activities through the promotion of capacity building measures, implementation of training seminars, exchange of experiences and personnel, sharing of resources, technologies and information.

Counterpart: United Mexican States Secretariat for the Environment (SEMARNAT)

Intervention areas:

• early warning system;
• sustainable agriculture;
• protection of coastal marine areas and natural capital.

 *presently MASE