Climate Policy Engagement Analysis
Climate Policy Engagement Overview: The Confederación Patronal de la República Mexicana (Coparmex) is engaged on several climate policy strands in Mexico, taking supportive high-level positions and supporting renewable energy policy. However, it has advocated to weaken policy to transition to electric vehicles and appears to not fully support state-level carbon taxes in Mexico.
Top-line Messaging on Climate Policy: Coparmex seemed to support climate policy in its top-line messaging in 2022-24. In a June 2023 article, the association seemed to support emissions reductions in line with the UN Paris Agreement. In another June 2023 article Coparmex stated support for government regulation on climate change. In a December 2023 press release the association supported public policy to combat climate change, but also opposed tax burdens without incentives and complementary actions to solve environmental matters. InfluenceMap did not detect a public position on the UN Paris Agreement in 2023-24.
Engagement with Climate-Related Policy: Coparmex appears to broadly support specific climate regulations in Mexico with some exceptions. Coparmex appears to have actively engaged to weaken state-level carbon taxes in Mexico in 2024. For example, news outlet El Sol de San Luis reported that the association stated in direct consultation with policymakers that the carbon tax in the San Luis Potosí should not impact companies’ competitiveness and should take into account previous action in August 2024. Furthermore, news outlet OEM reported in December 2023 that Coparmex did not support the proposed extension of the Mexican carbon tax to all GHG emissions.
Coparmex consistently supported renewable energy policies in Mexico in 2023-24. For example, in a May 2024 press release the association stated support for long-term renewable energy auctions. The news outlet Energía Estratégica reported that Coparmex supported the Mexican government’s Sonora Plan to invest in renewable energy projects and infrastructure in July 2023. However, the Sonora Plan also includes a fossil gas liquification plant. A November 2023 press release seemed to support energy efficiency policies in Mexico.
Positioning on Energy Transition: Coparmex supports scaling up 'clean' energy in the energy mix, however, it does not seem to support phasing out fossil fuels from the energy mix and the transition to electric vehicles. The association consistently supported ‘clean’ energy in the Mexican energy mix in 2024, for example, in June 2024 the President José Medina Mora stated support for investment in Mexico but did not explain clearly for which energy sources.
Coparmex does not appear to support decarbonizing the transport sector through scaling up electric vehicles. In a comment to policymakers in July 2023, the association did not support the Mexican National Electric Mobility Strategy’s aim to transition to electric vehicles, advocating instead for low-carbon fuels to be scaled up and maintaining internal combustion engine vehicles over electric vehicles. In an August 2023 comment to policymakers on calculating GHG emissions from light duty vehicles, Coparmex promoted traditional and low-carbon fuels over prioritizing electric vehicles, emphasizing the cost of electric vehicles and related infrastructure issues. Furthermore, in an opinion article in March 2024, the association advocated for the use of biofuels in developing countries to decarbonize the transport sector, without stating the need for a longer-term transition to electric vehicles. In the same article Coparmex supported transitioning the energy mix away from fossil fuels including fossil gas and seemed to support scaling up electrification based on renewable energy sources. Despite this, in a February 2024 press release the association advocated for new exploration and development of fossil fuel resources in Mexico.