Mexico Archives - State of the Planet

Looking for the Origin of Slow Earthquakes in the Guerrero Gap

We are underway on our 48-day long expedition offshore of the west coast of Mexico near Acapulco, where the young Cocos oceanic plate dives beneath the North American plate.

by Anne Bécel |June 7, 2022
fisherman catching lobster on mesoamerican barrier reef

Scientists Work to Build Climate Change Resilience in Caribbean Coral Reef

A team from Columbia’s Earth Institute is helping to research and design adaptation strategies to help save the world’s second largest barrier reef.

by |January 8, 2019
rubble from a damaged building

Roadmap to Resilience in Valle de Vázquez, Mexico

Students from the MS in Sustainability Management program visited Valle de Vásquez, Mexico to collect data, develop decision tools, and produce metrics to support community resilience.

by |April 5, 2018

Mexico’s Climate Change Law

By Juan Carlos de Obeso Tuesday June 5th of 2012 will be remembered as a key date in the annals of climate change legislation. On this day Mr. Felipe Calderon, President of Mexico, signed a decree that enacted the General Climate Change Law, which had been previously approved by the Senate and the Deputy chamber…. read more

by |June 26, 2012

Climate and the Border: Why Rising Temperatures Will Add Immigration Challenges

When experts warn of the consequences of global climate change, they usually cite impacts on natural systems. They tell us that ice caps will melt, sea levels will rise, extreme weather will become more common, droughts will increase in frequency, oceans will become more acidic and so on. In recent years, we have also come… read more

by |August 12, 2010

Mexico City to Treat Water Runoff

During last week’s World Water Forum, Conagua, Mexico’s National Water Commission, announced plans to build a purification plant to treat rain and water runoff. The US$1.3 billion project is expected to be completed in 2012 and is a build/operate contract. Mexico’s per capita water availability declined to 4,312 cubic meters in 2007 from 18,035 cubic… read more

by |March 23, 2009