Viva la vida verde

Welcome to Viva la vida verde, our Green Futures Special Publication on Mexico’s search for a sustainable future, supported by the UK Government’s Sustainable Development Dialogues, WWF, TUI Travel PLC, Grupo Bimbo and Unilever.

Mexico’s sustainable future will be fashioned in its own distinctive image, reflecting the responses its leaders and its people bring to a wide range of present challenges and opportunities. For there is no other country quite like Mexico. A journey through its landscape brings you face to face with its extraordinary diversity – as was brought home to our Consultant Editor in Mexico, environmentalist and film-maker Tiahoga Ruge ['Mangroves, monarchs and the end of a world'].

Our special report starts, however, with the overarching policy issue – how to put the whole country on the path to a greener life. Jonathon Porritt cuts to the chase as we consider the challenges, and the evidence that President Felipe Calderón’s government is serious about tackling them. Mario Molina, perhaps Mexico’s best-known environmentalist (who is also shaping new US policies on climate change as part of Obama’s transition team), shares his hopes and fears for Mexico’s future ['We are ready – we cannot wait any longer'].

Jo Tuckman zooms in on Mexico City, reporting on how the world’s second largest megacity is seeking to get to grips with sustainability ['Green revolution in the city of palaces']. Ron Buchanan sizes up the freshwater challenges of a country where the rain falls where the people aren’t ['Fresh water  for all'], and asks whether Mexico can make the transition to a low-carbon economy ['More energy…less carbon']. We consider the efforts by Mexican business to pull Mexico’s poor out of poverty and improve its environmental performance at the same time ['Doing business with the poor'], and Ron Mader charts the shift to a more responsible tourism offer ['Sun, sea… sustainability'].

Along the way we highlight key projects that are making a difference – from the climate action plan in Veracruz, to the butterfly conservation scheme in Michoacán, to the Mesoamerican Reef Tourism Initiative that’s changing the face of tourism on the Riviera Maya. ‘La vida verde’ may not be here just yet, but many Mexicans now realise it’s the only sensible future. Mexico’s journey has begun.
– Ben Tuxworth, Editor

This article is part of the Green Futures Special Publication Viva la vida verde, in which we set out the key sustainability challenges facing Mexico, and showcase some of the innovative green breakthroughs under way. Read more articles here.

27 February 2009

Ben Tuxworth and Hilary Benn