Implementation of the Convention
Measures Taken to Achieve the 2010 Target
Mexico has added more than 5 million 263 thousand hectares to the list of wetlands of international importance, including ecosystems such as mangroves and coral reefs. Attention is being paid to the conservation of ecosystems with a high degree of biodiversity, for example, the Biosphere Reserve of Calakmul which has been incorporated into a strict conservation regime through the expropriation of 150,710 hectares designated as core zones. In 2005, the Islands and Protected Areas of the Gulf of California were designated as a World Heritage Site for their outstanding universal natural value. An inter-institutional working group, in which NGOs and experts are participating, has been established to undertake a marine and terrestrial gap analysis, to be completed by 2007, for the development of a representative system of protected areas.
Mexico has implemented a programme of work to conserve certain species at risk, such as the jaguar and marine turtles, considered emblems for the conservation of protected areas. Through CONAFOR (Comisión Nacional Forestal), Mexico works on the sustainable use of forests and aims to increase its forest surface by one million hectares. CONAFOR participates in a project funded by the GEF with the participation of indigenous communities. Mexico has also established a programme for the sustainable use of mountains which considers 60 of the most important mountains in the country. Although there are no specific targets to control threats from invasive alien species, a working group has recently been assembled to deal with this issue. Some concrete actions have been taken, such as the development of monitoring systems, risk analysis assessment protocols, workshops, preliminary lists of invasive species, etc. The Instituto Nacional de Ecología (National Ecology Institute), together with non-governmental organizations, is taking important actions towards the eradication of invasive alien species in the islands. With the successful creation of some programmes of “payment for environmental services” in protected areas, Mexico is regarded as a country that recognizes the value of environmental services rendered by its natural resources. In terms of benefit-sharing, the amendments made to the Mexican Constitution in 2001 recognize the rights of the indigenous peoples and communities in various areas. Additionally, Mexico has passed a law on industrial property and another on access to genetic resources.
Initiatives in Protected Areas
Mexico has added more than 5 million 263 thousand hectares to the list of wetlands of international importance, including ecosystems such as mangroves and coral reefs. Attention is being paid to the conservation of ecosystems with a high degree of biodiversity, for example, the Biosphere Reserve of Calakmul which has been incorporated into a strict conservation regime through the expropriation of 150,710 hectares designated as core zones. In 2005, the Islands and Protected Areas of the Gulf of California were designated as a World Heritage Site for their outstanding universal natural value. An inter-institutional working group, in which NGOs and experts are participating, has been established to undertake a marine and terrestrial gap analysis, to be completed by 2007, for the development of a representative system of protected areas.
Mexico has implemented a programme of work to conserve certain species at risk, such as the jaguar and marine turtles, considered emblems for the conservation of protected areas. Through CONAFOR (Comisión Nacional Forestal), Mexico works on the sustainable use of forests and aims to increase its forest surface by one million hectares. CONAFOR participates in a project funded by the GEF with the participation of indigenous communities. Mexico has also established a programme for the sustainable use of mountains which considers 60 of the most important mountains in the country. Although there are no specific targets to control threats from invasive alien species, a working group has recently been assembled to deal with this issue. Some concrete actions have been taken, such as the development of monitoring systems, risk analysis assessment protocols, workshops, preliminary lists of invasive species, etc. The Instituto Nacional de Ecología (National Ecology Institute), together with non-governmental organizations, is taking important actions towards the eradication of invasive alien species in the islands. With the successful creation of some programmes of “payment for environmental services” in protected areas, Mexico is regarded as a country that recognizes the value of environmental services rendered by its natural resources. In terms of benefit-sharing, the amendments made to the Mexican Constitution in 2001 recognize the rights of the indigenous peoples and communities in various areas. Additionally, Mexico has passed a law on industrial property and another on access to genetic resources.
Initiatives for Article 8(j)
Mexico is a country with extreme biological and cultural diversity. A large part of Mexico’s rural population lives from small-scale traditional agricultural practices. In 2004, during the COP-MOP-2 in Malaysia, Mexico made a declaration against modifications to maize, which may limit its use for human consumption. Established in 2003, the programme of collective biological resources has among its objectives the promotion of the collective ownership of innovative traditional knowledge and practices for the in situ conservation of biodiversity. A study on public environmental policies, biodiversity and indigenous peoples carried out in 2003, has been a valuable tool for the analysis of the context in which the indigenous peoples of Mexico live, and has helped the decision-making process. Mexico has financed 35 projects related to the role of indigenous communities in the conservation of biodiversity, in which women are considered to be of utmost importance. In 2004, Mexico organized 30 workshops and four regional events related to the role of traditional knowledge in the conservation of biodiversity, with the participation of 600 indigenous representatives and 139 traditional medicinal doctors. In 1990, Mexico signed the ILO Convention concerning Indigenous and Tribal Peoples in Independent Countries. Starting in 2001, various modifications have been made to the legislation aimed at recognizing the rights of the indigenous communities.
