Mexico's REDD+ Projects: Update On GHG Emissions Avoidance

• Published date: 02 August 2022
• Subject Matter: Environment, Environmental Law, Climate Change
• Law Firm: Jones Day
• Author: Mr Mauricio Llamas

REDD+ National Strategy

In its effort to tackle climate change and the registered emissions in the country, Mexico has developed the National Strategy for Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation ("ENAREDD" or the "Strategy"), which entered into force in 2017. Its goal is to promote sustainable rural development and preserve and implement national forest carbon stocks.

ENAREDD includes the following main components: (i) public policies and legal framework; (ii) financing schemes; (iii) institutional arrangements; (iv) monitoring, reporting, and verification and reference level; (v) social and environmental safeguards; (vi) communication and capacity development; and (vii) social participation and transparency.

The Strategy is part of Mexico's efforts to comply with its international commitments in terms of greenhouse gas emissions contained in the Kyoto Protocol and, now, the Paris Agreement. As noted in Article 7, Section LXI of the General Law for Sustainable Forestry Development (the "LGDFS"), "[f]orest ecosystems function as carbon sinks providing environmental services of carbon dioxide absorption, sequestration, fixation and storage."

By establishing the conservation of forests and mangroves, and thus avoiding emissions, the Strategy aims not only to address climate change, but also to guarantee the quality of life of human communities. This includes safeguarding the provision of environmental services that allow food production and protection against natural disasters, among others. As also stated in Article 7, Section LXI of the LGDFS, "[b]enefits provided by ecosystems" include "provisioning, regulating, supporting or cultural services, and which are necessary for the survival of the natural and biological system as a whole, and which provide benefits to humans."

In accordance with ENAREDD policies, those parties that wish to compensate for their avoided emissions may register a project under the Strategy's voluntary market. In order to do so, a holistic tracking and follow-up program on the sequestered emissions must be developed by the country to assure that double counting of emissions is avoided. Such is the reason why the LGDFS mandates that "a national monitoring system, in order to evaluate and systematize the reduction of emissions derived from actions to prevent and combat deforestation and degradation of forest ecosystems" must be created. The way avoided emissions are counted and their benefits distributed among...