Mexico Highlights Circular Economy and Climate Resilience at G7 Ministers’ Meeting

Mexico outlined its environmental priorities at the G7 Environment and Energy Ministers’ Meeting in Toronto, emphasizing circular economy, nature-based solutions, and climate adaptation as central pillars of its sustainability agenda. Representing Mexico, Environment Minister Alicia Bárcena said the country’s participation underscores President Claudia Sheinbaum’s growing global leadership on climate and environmental issues. Since Sheinbaum’s attendance at the G7 summit in June, Mexico has been invited to multiple G7 sectoral meetings. Bárcena highlighted the Circular Economy Park in Hidalgo as a national model inspired by successful practices from G7 countries, including Germany, Japan, and the UK. She also met with U.S. EPA chief Lee Zeldin to review progress on the Tijuana wastewater project under Act 333, reflecting deepening environmental cooperation between the two neighbors. During the Global Environmental Agenda Session, Bárcena called for a global framework to measure and value nature-based solutions, warning that without consistent methodologies, the world cannot effectively price or trade carbon offsets. She cited the WEF’s Global Risk Report 2025, linking the escalating risks of extreme weather and biodiversity loss to the need for urgent global action. Mexico’s goal, Bárcena said, is to transition from extractivism toward regeneration by monetizing environmental services such as carbon capture from forests, mangroves, and oceans. She also urged greater focus on climate adaptation, noting the shared vulnerability of both developed and developing nations to wildfires, hurricanes, and floods. Reaffirming Mexico’s commitment to reduce emissions by 35% while sustaining growth, Bárcena said circular innovation projects and bilateral cooperation with Canada and the U.S. — including wildfire response and disaster finance tools like “hurricane clauses” — will be key to achieving climate resilience.