Reuters AlertNet Lite - Mexico to set greenhouse gas targets by 2008

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Mexico to set greenhouse gas targets by 2008

29 May 2007 19:31:17 GMT
Source: Reuters

MEXICO CITY, May 29 (Reuters) - Mexico plans to set targets for emissions of carbon dioxide by early next year as part of an effort to stop global warming, but could reduce them by 13 percent in a decade, the environment minister said on Tuesday.

Juan Rafael Elvira said Mexico produces 623 million tonnes of carbon dioxide per year and could eliminate about 80 million tonnes with some simple steps as part of a plan to attack global warming.

Last week, President Felipe Calderon launched a climate-change plan that included planting 250 million trees this year and getting old trucks and buses off its roads but did not set emissions targets.

Elvira said targets will be included in a formal government program to cut greenhouse gases, scheduled to be drawn up later this year or in early 2008.

Mexico could cut 20 million tonnes of carbon each year by shifting to using energy-saving light bulbs and another 2.7 million tonnes every year by cleaning up its oil refineries, Elvira said.

Calderon's plan wants to balance growth with producing environmentally friendly energy -- more wind energy and more solar power -- and also to reforest large areas of Mexico which have been logged.

Mexico, a major oil producer, uses mostly fossil fuels to generate electricity.

It has many environmental problems, including massive illegal logging and old buses and trucks that belch black smoke into the air and pollute cities.

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Last updated:Tue May 29 19:33:01 2007