Washington, D.C. — Center for American Progress Vice President for Energy Policy Greg Dotson issued the following statement in response to the announcement from U.S. President Barack Obama and Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto on climate and clean energy cooperation:
Today, the United States and Mexico have shown their dedication to deliver on the promises of last month’s North American Leaders’ Summit. The summit laid the foundation for a continentwide climate and clean energy strategy and included goals to ramp up clean energy generation and curb emissions of methane—a potent greenhouse gas. The United States and Mexico have now committed to the meetings and technical workshops that will be needed to fulfill their common targets. Such cooperation will help reduce greenhouse gas pollution domestically and also will strengthen the leadership role of the United States and Mexico in the global effort to limit climate change.
Particularly noteworthy in today’s announcement is Mexico’s plan to join the United States in using the social cost of carbon, which represents the cost to society imposed by each ton of carbon pollution. The U.S. executive branch currently considers the social cost of carbon when evaluating potential regulations that would affect emissions. Mexico’s adoption of this practice would be a step toward the ultimate goal of creating a low-carbon continent.
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