Breathe
By Rocío Mendoza Arroyo
One hundred and twenty minutes of empty political speeches, with traditional narratives of attacks, violence and no clear proposals from the presidential candidates on energy transition and climate change is what Mexicans experienced in the second debate.
The four segments addressed were: economic growth, employment and inflation, poverty and inequality, infrastructure and development, climate change and sustainability.
From an integral point of view, there are no solid proposals based on social needs, regional contexts and systemic problems that protect human rights, good living and, most importantly, that build the foundations to guarantee justice, curb inequality, rethink consumption and decentralize energy.
Initiatives such as the green hydrogen welfare pole(Claudia Sheinbaum), green tax ( Jorge Álvarez Máynez), field technification and wastewater treatment (Bertha Xóchitl Gálvez) lack comprehensive planning in social, economic and environmental terms, justice, participation and inclusion of historically vulnerable communities is null.
For his part, Jorge Máynez spoke of climate justice and interculturalism, but did not emphasize the path of action to guarantee the route in the following years. He also mentioned a mixed federal fund for regional water development infrastructure, support for the countryside, modernization of borders as a nearshoring strategy and electromobility in public transportation, leaving aside financing and the social appropriation of knowledge.
It is a priority to rethink comprehensive systemic solutions on issues of just energy transition and climate change from a focus on social appropriation of knowledge, making scientific culture visible as a human right and as a way for citizens to make the right decisions. It is worrying that to this day in the public and government agenda this important social factor is not being made visible, since it is not only talking about science and education, but also about rights where we are all immersed.
Of the issues raised during the debate: road infrastructure, low-cost renewable and clean energy, water supply and quality, installation of solar panels and recycling plants were not addressed as GHG reduction strategies.
The presentations of the candidates for the presidency of the republic are absent of mitigation and adaptation strategies to climate change, a priority component in the international agreements to which Mexico is a party.
Claudia Sheinbaum, Jorge Álvarez Máynez and Xóchitl Gálvez emphasize their agreement to comply with the Paris Agreement, which was ratified in 2016 at the United Nations headquarters in New York, however, they do not talk about ways to strengthen Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs), climate finance and transparency in accountability.
It is worrying for Mexico that the discourse of the three candidates is characterized only by the use of scientific terms such as energy transition, climate change and progress through science and technology, but at no time are strong proposals put on the table to curb the wage gap and action plans to ensure professional growth and job opportunities for young people with scientific training with an impact on this energy transition model that everyone is talking about.
It is important to rethink the format of the debate in our country, to stop the personal and family attacks, as well as the verbal violence that minute by minute are positioned in the minds of viewers. Truly, it is necessary to answer the national question: Who won the debate when the dialogue is far from solid proposals that guarantee the prosperity of our resources and ecosystems of Mexico?
It is time for young people, who represent around 26% of the nominal list, to come out of their comfort zone this June 2nd to exercise their right to vote and to participate in the present and future of Mexico's sustainable development.
From the Hackers For Our Future movement, we are working and acting to raise the voice of the youth, because we are convinced that decisions about the climate crisis and the abandonment of fossil fuels should not exclude anyone, and that includes you.
#NoQuemenNuestroFuturo, I am not saying it, the scientific evidence, the sigh of those who live a forced migration and the millions of Mexicans who yearn for a prosperous future are shouting it out loud.
Sources
* Rocio Mendoza Arroyo is a Master of Science in Biotechnology with a Diploma in Environmental Policy. Being a scientist in society is her philosophy of life, she likes science, but not in four walls, her vision is to contribute to the sustainable economic development of the region through scientific knowledge. Her hard work has been recognized on numerous occasions among which stand out: "Climate Reality Project Leader in 2021, "one of the 100 young leaders in Biotechnology in Latin America by ALLBIOTECH in 2017 and in 2018 she is awarded the academic merit of the National Polytechnic Institute".
LinkedIn: @Rocio Mendoza Arroyo
The opinions expressed are the responsibility of the authors and are absolutely independent of the position and editorial line of the company. Opinion 51.
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