PROFEPA fined Zinc Nacional MX$83 million for environmental damage in Monterrey and signed an agreement to ensure future regulatory compliance. Meanwhile, Mexico set HCFC consumption limits for 2026–2030, reinforcing Montreal Protocol commitments.
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Zinc Nacional Hit With MX$83 Million Fine, Signs Compliance Pact
Mexico’s environmental regulator PROFEPA fined Zinc Nacional more than MX$83 million for environmental damage linked to soil contamination and open-air storage of raw materials near Monterrey, following inspections triggered by media reports in early 2025. Alongside the sanction, both parties signed an Environmental Responsibility Agreement requiring comprehensive remediation, relocation of polluting processes outside residential areas, reforestation, and the implementation of extensive mitigation infrastructure. The agreement also establishes unprecedented continuous air and environmental monitoring mechanisms, including a nonconventional atmospheric network, which PROFEPA said sets a new precedent for industrial compliance and oversight in Mexico.
Mexico Enforces 2026–2030 HCFC Limits for Cooling Sector
Mexico set maximum allowable HCFC consumption levels for 2026–2030, reinforcing its commitments under the Montreal Protocol and providing regulatory certainty for the refrigeration and air-conditioning industries as the country moves toward a full phaseout by 2030. The measure supports the final stage of Mexico’s HCFC Phaseout Plan, which will focus on the service sector through technician training, equipment upgrades, tighter customs controls, and refrigerant recovery and recycling, after achieving an 84.2% reduction in consumption versus the 2013 baseline.
IMTA Brings Global Leaders Together to Advance Water Justice
Mexico’s Institute of Water Technology (IMTA) hosted the Second International Day of Water Justice to strengthen cooperation among communities, scientists, policymakers and international actors in advancing universal access to safe and affordable drinking water as a human right. Alicia Bárcena, Environment Minister emphasized that water justice goes beyond infrastructure, highlighting community participation, traditional knowledge and recent policy advances, including the recovery of more than 4.4 billion m³ of water nationwide and major investments to restore heavily polluted river basins such as the Lerma–Santiago.
Mexico’s EV Shift Delivered Major CO₂ Cuts in 2025
Mexico’s growing adoption of electric vehicles is delivering measurable climate benefits, with nearly 100,000 EVs, plug-in hybrids and extended-range EVs in 2025 avoiding up to 47,334 tCO₂e when zero-emission ride-hailing trips are included, according to the Electromobility Association (EMA). The impact is concentrated in urban areas, with almost 385 million km traveled without tailpipe emissions, supported by a 26% annual expansion of charging infrastructure and a doubling of EV-related financing. While the results highlight progress in transport decarbonization and air quality, EMA notes that gaps in maintenance infrastructure and technical knowledge remain key challenges for scaling electromobility nationwide.
Davos 2026: Mexico Highlights Sustainable Investment Plans
Mexico used the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos to promote Plan México, sustainable investment, and circular economy initiatives, with Alicia Bárcena, Environment Minister and Altagracia Gómez, CADERR Coordinator, leading discussions with global business and policy leaders. The delegation highlighted investment opportunities linked to green transition, circular economy parks, and the Poles of Economic Development for Well-Being, attracting strong interest and prompting plans for a March visit by 100 global executives to explore projects in Mexico. Meetings also focused on energy transition, environmental protection, and green financing, reinforcing Mexico’s strategy to align industrial policy, trade, and sustainability to drive inclusive growth and job creation.