Border Environment Cooperation Commission

Climate Change Initiative

What has BECC accomplished with the regional

Climate Change Initiatives ?

• Inventories: Promote, develop and conclude the “Green

House Gas Climate Change Inventories” for the six Mexican

border states.

• Homogenization: A uniform methodology was used for

both sides of the border and the Mexican state inventories

were validated by federal Mexican environmental agencies

such as the Instituto Nacional de Ecologia (INE).

• Local Capacity Building: A series of workshops for the

development of the state Climate Action Plans were held

for the six Mexican states via three separate simultaneous

workshops in eight border cities with approximately 300

participants. 

Who are the main partners in the development of the BECC Climate Change Initiative?

• State governments, universities and public and private organizations. 

• Mexican federal agencies such as SEMARNATand INE, who verified that national policies and objectives were met.

• The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) through Border 2012 Program funds.

• The Center for Climate Strategies (CCS).

How does BECC support the implementation of the Border Region State Climate Action Plans? 

• Identification, development, certification and construction of environmental infrastructure projects related to climate 

change mitigation and adaptation, through the BECC certification and North American Development Bank funding 

processes. 

• Support for project planning and development of the Border 2012 Work Groups. 

Border Region 

• 3000 Km border line

• 2.6 million Km2

• 83 million residents in 10 States

• The GDP of the 10 Border States 

represents approximately 25% of 

the respective national GDP. 

Relevant Green House Gases Data

• In 2005 the six Mexican border states emitted a total of 141.3 MTMCO2e (i.e. 21.7% of the national emissions, with

only 17.6% of the total population).

• For 2025 the gross GHG emissions projected are 225.7 MTMCO2e (i.e. 31% of the national GHG emissions with only 

19.4% of the nation’s population).

4.00

5.00

6.00

7.00

8.00

9.00

10.00

11.00

12.00

13.00

14.00

1995 2000 2005

tCO2e/capita

Emisiones Brutas per Capita 

(en base al consumo)

Baja California

Sonora

Chihuahua

Coahuila

Nuevo Leon

Tamaulipas

Per-capita Gross Emissions 

Based on Consumption 

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

BC SO CH CO NL TM

Waste Mgmt

Agriculture

Fossil Fuel Ind.

Industrial 

Processes

Transportation

RCI Fuel Use

Electricity 

(consumptionbased)

Distribution of GHG Emissions by Mexico Border States(Gross)

15.6 20.1 19.7 30.0 37.0 18.9 (MMtCo2e)
Mexican State Climate Action Plans

Border Environment Cooperation Commission

Support for the 1st Phase of the Baja California, Coahuila and Sonora State Climate Action Plans

1. EPA Border 2012 funds administered by BECC were used to hire in 2010 The Center for Climate Strategies (CCS) to

support the 1

st Phase of the State Climate Action Plans related to mitigation. 

2. The 1

st Phase consisted in the selection of public policies with the participation of academic institutions, civil society

organizations and local experts in climate change.

3. A total of 134 mitigation policies were identified in the three States.

4. Of the 134 mitigation policies 43 of them, or 32%, coincide in each state. For example: Energy Efficiency Programs,

Public Buildings and Street Lighting, Incentives for development of Alternative Energies, Public Transport

Modernization, Urban Light Rail Systems, Traffic Control Infrastructure, Vehicle Verification Programs, Methane

Management in Rural Farms, etc.)

5. From the 134 policies identified, 53 have a potential for BECC projects certification; 29 of these policies have a high

potential of projects for BECC certification (22% of the total), which indicates a high probability of requiring BECC

technical assistance and NADB financing.

Participants in the Selection of Mitigation Policies 

for Baja California, Sonora and Coahuila State Climate Action Plans

1. A total of 147 individuals participated in the work groups discussion and analysis of the mitigation policies.

2. The Advisory Groups were responsible for deciding the preferred public policies. The Groups had a total of 78 high quality members that included

Academics, Businessmen/women, Representatives of all three levels of Government; Non-governmental Organizations, Civil Society Groups,

Professional Associations and Legislators.

3. The Technical Work Groups, were responsible for discussing and analyzing the selected policies from an expert perspective. These groups would

make recommendations to the Advisory Groups.

Policies with high potential 

for projects certification by 

BECC

Total of Policy 

Options Selected

Participants in

Advisory Groups and 

Technical Work Groups 

Policy Sector BC SON COAH

TOTAL 

Policies 

Energy generation 2 10 11 24

Residential, commercial and industrial 7 8 10 25

Transport and urban development 5 10 10 25

Agriculture, cattle, forest and waste 19 9 10 37

Cross-sectional policy elements 0 9 14 23

TOTAL 33 46 55 134

Number of Public Policies Selected by Sector and State State Climate Action Plans Participants BC SON COH Total

Advisory Groups 22 39 17 78

Technical Group of Energy generation 6 10 8 24

Technical Group of Residencial, Commercial and Industrial 4 13 9 26

Technical Group of Transport and y urban development 6 11 7 24

Technical Group of Agriculture, cattle, forest and waste 9 21 9 39

Technical Group of Cross-sectional elements 10 12 12 34

Total 35 67 45 147

Type of Policies 

Total of Selected Policies

Potential 

policies for 

projects

Policies with high 

potential for BECC 

project certification

Percentage of 

Policies with high 

potential for BECC 

project certification

Energy generation 24 9 5 21%

Residential, commercial and industrial 25 13 6 24%

Transport and urban development 25 14 8 32%

Agriculture, cattle, forest and waste 37 17 10 27%

Cross-sectional policy elements 23 0 0 0%

TOTAL 134 53 29 22%

Policies with high potential for BECC project certification (type of Policies) 

Cross sectional policy 

elements (24) 

Transport and urban 

development (25)

Residential, 

commercial and 

industrial

(25)

Energy generation (23)

Selected Public Policies in the (3) Mexican States 

Agriculture, 

cattle, forest 

and waste (37)

18%

19%

19%

27%

17%