Georgina Scarlata, Office of Mexican Affairs

U.S. Department of State

Christopher Lawrence, Permitting, Siting and Analysis 

Division 

U.S. Department of Energy
Background

 The U.S.-Mexico Bilateral Framework on Clean Energy 

and Climate Change was announced during President 

Obama’s April 2009 visit to Mexico.

 The Bilateral Framework establishes a mechanism for 

facilitating common efforts to develop clean energy 

economies, including through political and technical 

cooperation and information exchange. 

 Under the auspices of the Framework, the two 

Presidents announced the Cross-Border Electricity 

Task Force during President Calderon’s May 2010 State 

Visit to Washington. 
Objectives

 Key objectives of the 

Bilateral Framework 

include information 

sharing and capacity 

building on clean energy 

and energy efficiency 

technologies, and 

modernization of our 

electricity grids with a view 

toward the development of 

domestic as well as cross-

border renewable energy 

generation.
First Bilateral Meeting

 The U.S. Department of State hosted the first meeting of 

the Bilateral Framework in Washington on January 26, 

2010.

 The Meeting, co-chaired on the U.S. side by the 

Departments of Energy and State, brought together senior 

officials from both governments to set an agenda for 

collaboration on bilateral and multilateral initiatives.

 The group agreed to enhance cooperation on renewable 

energy technologies, smart grid implementation, carbon 

capture and sequestration, greenhouse gas (GHG) 

inventories and adaptation measures.
Second Bilateral Meeting

 The second Bilateral Framework meeting, held in 

Mexico City on May 18, 2011, provided an overview of 

areas where Mexico and the United States are already 

cooperating and highlighted future areas for 

collaboration.

 Both sides agreed on the importance of widening and 

deepening existing cooperative arrangements and 

seeking potential new opportunities for collaboration. 
Key Areas of Cooperation

 Extensive U.S.-Mexico 

cooperation in the 

development of Mexico’s 

Transporte Limpio

program;

 U.S. support to Mexico 

for refining and 

implementing its lowemissions development 

strategy (LEDS);
Key Areas of Cooperation

 Implementation of pilot 

projects to reduce 

emissions from 

deforestation and forest 

degradation (REDD).

 Agreement to work 

towards a successful 

outcome at COP-17 that 

implements the actions 

agreed to at last year's 

Cancun climate 

conference. 
Key Areas of Cooperation

 Coordination of minimum 

appliance standards and 

discussion of Mexican 

appliance labeling efforts 

similar to U.S. programs;

 Cooperation on energy 

efficiency in the 

hemisphere under the 

Energy and Climate 

Partnership of the 

Americas, and globally 

with the Major Economies 

through the Clean Energy 

Ministerial process;
Key Areas of Cooperation

 Analysis of electricity 

system maturity and 

identification of strategies 

to implement Smart Grid 

technologies;

 Advancement in the 

promotion of regional 

renewable energy markets 

between our two countries 

through the Cross-Border 

Electricity Task Force;
Cross-Border Electricity Task Force

 The Task Force was announced in May 2010 by the two 

Presidents under the auspices of the Bilateral Framework.

 The stated goal of the Task Force is to promote regional 

renewable energy markets between the two countries.

 A Stakeholder meeting was held in October 2010 to discuss 

areas that the government-only Task Force could consider.

 During May 2011 meetings between DOE and SENER, they 

discussed next steps to organize, select members, and 

manage the activities of the Task Force Steering Committee 

and Working Groups.
Key Areas of Cooperation

 Cooperation on wind 

energy, including the justconcluded MOU between 

DOE’s National Renewable 

Energy Laboratory and 

Mexico’s Electricity 

Research Institute (IIE);

 The development of a 

North American Carbon 

Storage Atlas of carbon 

sources and sinks, together 

with Canada, to be 

delivered in 2012;
Thank You

Georgina Scarlata

Border Affairs Officer

Office of Mexican Affairs

U.S. Department of State

(202) 647-1202

ScarlataGM@state.gov

Christopher A. Lawrence

Electricity Industry Specialist

U.S. Department of Energy

(202) 586-5260

Christopher.Lawrence@hq.doe.gov