Climate Change in Mexico
The availability of data regarding climate change in Mexico is very advanced. Mexcio was first to elaborate the
Third National Communication under the  UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, which was published in 2007 and therefore
contains recent data on climate variability impacts and adaptation options.
Main impacts of climate change:
Mexico is one of the countries most vulnerable to climate change in Latin America. Forecasts predict
temperatures to increase between 2-4 °C up to 2050, particularly in the Northern and more continental part
of the country. Precipitation is predicted to decrease between 5% and 15%, depending on the region. Water
resources will become scarce.
Cafédirect's producer groups are located in Chiapas and Veracruz, the states with the highest forest biodiversity
and biological productivity. Currently deforestation and forest fires pose a serious threat to these ecosystems,
placing the country in the first ranks of deforestation indexes. Agricultural production is highly affected by El Niño,
the main indicator for climate change tendencies in the area. El Niño years display exceeding winter precipitation
(floods, soil erosions etc) and marked summer droughts.
- Areas suitable for coffee production may move up- or downwards depending on actual temperatures
- Modification of rainfall patterns, including changes in temporal and spatial distribution decrease harvest yields
- Alteration of hydrological catchments, as well as the pattern and distribution of surface runoff and flooding
- Sea level rise, with consequent impacts on coastal and marine ecosystems
- Droughts cause desertification of the land and greater incidence of forest fires, leading to deforestation (mainly
in the south)
- Modification of the ecosystems will cause drastic reductions in tropical and temperate forests
- Deforestation decreases carbon sequestration and biodiversity
- Soil erosion reduces the capacity of holding water and nutrients
Source of information: The International Panel on Climate Change and the researchers from the
Centro de la Atmósfera of the Autonomous University of Mexico.
Coffee Production
Coffee producers feel most severely affected by the deteriorating quality and availability of water. On the other
hand they have experienced sudden very aggressive rains which cause mudslides in the higher regions and floods in the
lower regions. Possible adaptation measures identified in a first survey with producers of Mas Café (Chiapas) and
Huatusco (Veracruz) include measures of reforestation, living barriers, treatment and management of the important
resource water and measures of awareness raising for environmental issues. In the framework of AdapCC producers receive
support in establishing alliances with other organisations that lend long term technical or financial support in
confronting climate risks.
The pilot group that AdapCC implements risk and opportunity assessments with is yet to be decided.
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