MEx30x30: Conserving Mexican biodiversity through communities and their protected areas is one of the first projects of the Global Biodiversity Framework (GBFF) to be approved, less than a year after the launch of the GBFF. This transformative project will enhance the efficiency of all existing protected areas. It supports the Mexican government's commitments to the Kunming-Montreal 30x30 target by establishing the financial and institutional foundations to achieve this goal and ensure robust management of 30% of the country under conservation. The project is led by the National Commission of Natural Protected Areas (CONANP, acronym in Spanish), with Conservation International as the implementing agency and the Mexican Fund for the Conservation of Nature (FMCN, acronym in Spanish) as the executing agency.

In this context, it is important to highlight that Mexico, occupying only 1.4% of the Earth's surface, is home to between 10 and 12% of global biodiversity. This natural treasure is further enriched by more than 68 ethnic groups, inheritors of 118 crops that today constitute 15% of the human diet worldwide. Therefore, ensuring the conservation of this wealth is an urgent priority.

Further strengthening this commitment, MEx30x30 builds on 27 years of experience from the Protected Areas Fund (FANP, acronym in Spanish), a public-private collaboration scheme led by CONANP in conjunction with FMCN. This model has allowed for the efficient use of financial resources directed at Mexico's protected areas to enhance their operation and management, thus ensuring the long-term conservation of representative ecosystems.

MEx30x30 was presented on June 20th in a virtual event by Carlos Manuel Rodríguez, CEO and Chairperson of the Global Environment Facility (GEF); Laura Aguirre Téllez, Director General in the Public Credit and International Affairs Unit of the Ministry of Finance and Public Credit (SHCP, acronym in Spanish); María Luisa Albores González, Head of the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (SEMARNAT, acronym in Spanish); Humberto Adán Peña Fuentes, Head of CONANP; Adriana G. Moreira, Lead of the Partnerships Division of the GEF; and José Feliciano González Jiménez, General Director of Institutional Strengthening and International Affairs at CONANP.

During the presentation, Carlos Manuel Rodríguez emphasized the transformative potential of this project in enhancing the long-term efficiency of all protected areas. He stated: “We don’t have much time; actions need to happen in the next two years. For the GEF, this project is very interesting and very important. Today is a historic day for the GEF and for Mexico, and we need to celebrate.” Rodríguez acknowledged the federal government's effectiveness in presenting this project.

The MEx30x30 project was approved by the GBFF Council on June 19th, 2024. Its implementation is expected to begin in 2025.