Mexico

From HFA-PEDIA

What's New

UN supports Mexico City's efforts to train 10,000 public servants to confront disasters

Mexico City, a high-risk mega city, expects to train 10,000 civil servants on their responsibilities and options to consistently help reduce risks facing their city. The training is sponsored locally and supported by the UNISDR regional office and the Capacity Development for Disaster Reduction Initiative (CADRI) of the UN. Mayor Marcelo Ebrard, known for his commitment to disaster risk reduction and improving the city's resilience to climate change, made an opening statement where he stressed the importance of training decision makers and technical staff from all the City dependencies and departments, especially those that have a multiplying effect on decisions and plans.

HFA National Reports

Preliminary national HFA progress report 2009-2011 (2010): Mexico (via HFA Monitor on PreventionWeb / Spanish)

Primer informe de México sobre la aplicación y seguimiento del Marco de Acción de Hyogo 2005-2010; July 2008 (Spanish)

National Report 2007: Unreported

National Report 2006: Unreported

National Report 2005: Unreported

National Report 2004: National Report in Preparation for the WCDR - Mexico (Spanish)

National Platform:

Formalized in November 2009 (see official communication - SINAPROC)

National Platform Focal Point:

National System of Civil Protection (Sistema Nacional de Protección Civil) - SINAPROC

URL: www.proteccioncivil.gob.mx

Contact: Licda. Laura Gurza Jaidar, Coordinadora General de Protección Civil de la Secretaria de Gobernación

Tel: (+52) 555-128-0181/82

E-mail contact: Liliana Lopez de la Secretaría de Relaciones Exteriores - llopezo@sre.gob.mx

Alternative contact: Mr. Armando Ulises Barbosa López, Coordinador Jurídico, Coordinación General de Protección Civil de México

E-mail: ubarbosa@segob.gob.mx

HFA National Focal Point:

National System of Civil Protection (Sistema Nacional de Protección Civil) - SINAPROC

URL: www.proteccioncivil.gob.mx

Contact: Licda. Laura Gurza Jaidar, Coordinadora General de Protección Civil de la Secretaria de Gobernación

Tel: (+52) 555-128-0181/82

E-mail contact: Liliana Lopez de la Secretaría de Relaciones Exteriores - llopezo@sre.gob.mx

Centro Nacional de Prevención de Desastres (CENAPRED)

(National Centre for Disaster Prevention)

Secretaría de Gobernación

Av.Delfín Madrigal N.665 Col.Pedregal de Santo Domingo. Coyoacán, CP 04360

México D.F.

Contact person:

Ing. Roberto Quaas Weppen, General Director

Tel: +(52-55) 5606-2043 direct/ 5606-7809 ext.17001, Fax:+(52-55) 5606-1608

E-mail: rqw@cenapred.unam.mx

URL: www.cenapred.unam.mx/

Alternative contact person (technical focal point):

Biólogo Jorge Díaz Perea, Subdirector de vinculación y gestión institucional

Tel: +(52-55) 5606-2043

E-mail: logistic@cenapred.unam.mx

Other:

Coordinacion General de Proteccion Civil

Paseo de la Reforma 99, Torre B, Piso 13, Colonia Tabacalera, Delegacion

Cuauhtemoc

06030

Mexico

Contact Person:

Ms. Laura Gurza Jaidar, Coordinadora General de Proteccion Civil

Tel: +52 55 5128-0181 / 82

Fax: +52 55 5128-0289 / 92

E-mail: lgurza@segob.gob.mx

National Policies and Plans

Primer informe de México sobre la aplicación y seguimiento del Marco de Acción de Hyogo 2005-2010

2008, Government of Mexico

México: Plan nacional de desarrollo 2007-2012

Mexico - gov

Official Statements & Presentations:

Mexico: Statement made at the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction (2009)

2009, Mexico - gov

Other Development Reports:

Mexico: Common country assessment - CCA (2006)

2006, UNDG

Other Contacts

Permanent Mission of Mexico to the United Nations in Geneva

Chief:

His Excellency Mr. Luis Alfonso De Alba

Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary

Permanent Representative

Address: Avenue de Budé 16 (7th Floor), 1202 Geneva

Tel: +41 22 748 07 07, Fax: +41 22 748 07 08

E-mail: mission.mexico@ties.itu.int

URL: http://www.sre.gob.mx/oi/

UN System Coordination

UNDG: UNCT Mexico

UN Resident Coordinator

Mr. Magdy Martínez-Soliman

E-mail: magdy.martinez-soliman@undp.org

UN Inter-Agency Support

Ms. Muriel Obón, Coordination Officer

muriel.obon@undp.org.mx

UN Country Team

Mrs. Marion Hoffman: Representative,UNHCR

Mr. Axel Van Trotsenburg: Director and Representative, World Bank

Mr. Jorge Mattar: Director a.i., ECLAC

Mr. Marcos Brujis: Regional Manager, CFI

Mr. Carlos Elis: Oficial in Charge, CST-UNFPA

Mr. Norman Bellino: Representative, FAO

Mr. José Manuel Martínez: Representative, UNODCCP

Mrs. Loretta Martin: Regional Director, ICAO

Mr. Amerigo Incalcaterra: Representative, OHCHR

Mr. Miguel del Cid: Director, ILO

Mr. Kai Bethke: Representative & Regional Director for Mexico, UNIDO

Mr. Philippe Lamy: Representative, OPS/OMS

Mr. Enrique Leff: National Coordinator, PNUMA

Ms. Dolores Franco: Chief of Unit, UN-HABITAT

Mrs. Jadranka Mihalic: Director, UNIC

Mr. Magdy Martínez-Soliman: Resident Coordinator / Resident Representative, UN System / UNDP

Mr. Luis Tiburcio: Director, UNESCO

Mrs. Susana Sottoli: Representative, UNICEF

Mrs. Teresa Rodríguez: Regional Programme Director, UNIFEM

Ms. Paola Gómez: Coordination Assistant, RC Office

Mr. Arie Hoekman: Representative, UNFPA

Ms. Muriel Obón: Coordination Support, RC Office

Other

Civil Protection General Coordination

(Coordinación General de Protección Civil)

Armando Ulises Barbosa López, Coordinador Jurídico

Tel. +52-55-5128 0201

E-mail: ubarbosa@segob.gob.mx

Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Department of Global / International Issues

(Dirección de Temas Globales, Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores)

Consejera Socorro Flores Liera, Encargada de Temas Globales

Tel. +52-55-3686-5699 /3686-5628

E-mail: sflores@sre.gob.mex

Permanent Mission of Mexico to the United Nations

(Misión Permanente de México ante Naciones Unidas)

Victoria Romero

Tel. +41-22-748-0724 (ext. 733)

E-mail: vromero@delegamexoi.ch

Centro Nacional de Prevención de Desastres (CENAPRED)

(National Center for Disaster Prevention)

Address: Av. Delfín Madrigal No. 665. Col. Pedregal of Santo Domingo. Coyoacán, CP 04360, Mexico D.F.

Tel: (+52 55) 5424-6100, (+52 55) 5606-8837

E-mail: webmaster@cenapred.unam.mx

URL: http://www.cenapred.unam.mx

The primary responsibility of CENAPRED is to support the National Civil Protection System (SINAPROC) in the technical requirements that demand its operation.

It conducts research, training, implementation and dissemination about natural phenomena and anthropogenic that could cause disaster, as well as actions to reduce and mitigate the negative effects of such phenomena, to help better prepare the population to deal with them.

Under the SINAPROC, their main goal is: "To promote the application of technologies for disaster prevention and mitigation; impart vocational and technical training on the subject, and disseminate preparedness measures and self-protection among Mexican society exposed to the contingency a disaster."

Comisión Nacional de Seguridad Nuclear y Salvaguardias (CNSNS)

(National Commission on Nuclear Security and Safeguards)

Department of Telematics and Information Systems

Dr. Jose Ma. Barragan. 779, Fourth Floor, Cologne Narvarte, Delegation Benito Juarez,

C. Q. 03020. Mexico, D. F.

Tel: 5095-3200, Fax: 5095-3295

URL: http://www.cnsns.gob.mx

Country profile

Official Name: United States of Mexico

Capital: Mexico City

Population: 102 million

Density: 51.7 people per sq km

Total area: 1,972,550 sq km

Languages: Spanish, various Mayan, Nahuatl, and other regional indigenous languages.

Government: Presidential democracy

Rural population: 24.8% of total

Official language Spanish

The site of advanced Amerindian civilizations, Mexico came under Spanish rule for three centuries before achieving independence early in the 19th century. A devaluation of the peso in late 1994 threw Mexico into economic turmoil, triggering the worst recession in over half a century. The nation continues to make an impressive recovery. Ongoing economic and social concerns include low real wages, underemployment for a large segment of the population, inequitable income distribution, and few advancement opportunities for the largely Amerindian population in the impoverished southern states. The elections held in 2000 marked the first time since the 1910 Mexican Revolution that an opposition candidate - Vicente FOX of the National Action Party (PAN) - defeated the party in government, the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI). He was succeeded in 2006 by another PAN candidate Felipe CALDERON.

Source: UNDP - Human development report 2004 www.hdr.undp.org/reports/global/2004/ CIA - The World Factbook 2004 www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/index.html

Natural Hazards

Tsunamis along the Pacific coast, volcanoes and destructive earthquakes in the center and south, and hurricanes on the Pacific, Gulf of Mexico, and Caribbean coasts.

Institutuional mechanisms

Brief history of the current National System of Civil Protection:

October 9, 1985 - The National Reconstruction Commission was created with the objective of carrying out studies that would lead to establishing the National System of Civil Protection, across the Civil Security Prevention Committee.

May 6, 1986 - The “Bases for the Establishment of the National System of Civil Protection" were published in the Official Diary of the Federation.

1988 - The Subsecretary of Civil Protection, of Prevention and Social Readaptation, as well as a General Direction of Civil Protection are constituted in the Ministry of Interior.

September 20, 1988 - The National Disaster Prevention Center (CENAPRED) created by presidential decree.

May 11, 1990 - Creation of the National Council of Civil Protection.

June 6, 1995 - Creation of the Scientific Advisory Committees of SINAPROC.

January, 1998 - Creation of the General Coordination of Civil Protection as a result of the reorganization of SEGOB in place of the previous Subsecretary.

January 23, 2009 - Publication in the Official Diary of the Federation the Agreement announcing the declaration of the General Coordination of Civil Protection as Authority of National Security.

Currently Mexico has a National System of Civil Protection, a National Center of Disaster Prevention, a National Atlas of Risks, a Mexican Seismic Network, a System of Tropical Cyclones Early Alert and a Monitoring network of Active Volcanoes, among other mechanisms.

National System of Civil Protection

In order to articulate and coordinate the multiple actions of Civil Protection, the National System of Civil Protection (SINAPROC) represents the organic articulated set of structures, functional relationships, methods and procedures established by the public sector agencies and bodies among themselves with the organizations of the various voluntary, social, and private groups and with the authorities of the states, the Federal District and the municipalities, in order to carry out coordinated actions aimed at protection from dangers /hazards as well as the recovery of the population, should a disaster occur.

The objective of SINAPROC is to protect individuals and society in the event of a disaster caused by natural or human forces, through actions to reduce or eliminate loss of life, impact on production equipment, destruction of material property, damage to nature, and the interruption of the essential functions of society as well as to seek the recovery of the population and its surroundings to the conditions of life that they had before the disaster.

Nowadays, The National System of Civil Protection (SINAPROC) is comprised of the President of the Republic, the National Council, the agencies, bodies and institutions of the federal government, the National Disaster Prevention Center (CENAPRED), volunteers, neighborhood communities, non-governmental organization groups and the civil protection systems of the states, the Federal District, and the municipalities.

To integrate the activities of the participants in the National System of Civil Protection and to guarantee the achievement of its objective, the System supports on the following entities:

The National Council of Civil Protection: a consultative entity for planning of the Civil Protection. It is integrated by the President of the Republic, who shall preside over it and heads of the Ministers of State; the governors of the states and the head of government of the Federal District. The Minister of the Interior shall be the Executive Secretary of the National Council. The Technical Secretary shall be the General Coordinator of Civil Protection.

The State and Municipal Councils - according to respective corresponding laws and local regulations.

The Consultative Permanent Council of Disaster Prevention and Civil Protection - advising the Ministry of Interior and through participation of members and representatives of different governmental and civil society sectors.

The National Emergencies Committee: entity in charge of the coordination of actions and decision-making in situations of emergency and disasters that put in risk the population, goods and environment. It is comprised of representatives of the dependences and entities of the federal government and other key stakeholders.

The National Operations Center - the operative instance that integrates systems, equipment, documents and other tools to assist members of the National System of Civil Protection for timely and appropritate decision-making.

The National Communications Center (CENACOM) - responsible for collecting, testing and distributing information generated by the members of SINAPROC, for validating the information in terms of reliability for decision-making surrounding the prevention and mitigation of the effects of natural or human phenomena.

The General Coordination of Civil Protectioncomprises the executive coordination of SINAPROC, Ministry of the Interior, which for the fulfillment of its attributions counts for its functioning with 3 Directions:

The National Disaster Prevention Center, CENAPRED, which is the technical arm of the SINAPROC including the technical - scientific research on disaster prevention; monitoring, prediction and measurements of risks for the creation of efficient mechanisms of warning, among others; continuing training for the different members of the SINAPROC, including the general population; the programming, development and updating of the National Risk Atlas as an integral information system involving spatial databases and that serves as a tool for evaluating and measuring the level of hazards and vulnerabilities in Mexico; the dissemination of information on different thematic programmes that concern civil protection.

The General Direction of Civil Protection, operative and technical arm of the CGPC involves coordination with federal entities and municipalities as the basis for timely and effective response; joint actions with dependences and entities of the federal government; involvement with the social and private sectors for emergency response; emergencies and disasters management; ensuring proper and constant functioning of the National Communications Centre; operation of the Early Warning System; the development of Official Mexican Standards on issues surrounding Civil Protection; as well as the General Direction of the Natural Disasters Fund -FONDEN-, as the financial arm of the General Coordination, to coordinate access to the economic resources for emergencies and disaster prevention and response through the operation of the following financial instruments:

The FONDEN and/or Fideicommissum FONDEN programme, a financial tool composed of several instruments and by diverse agencies of the Federal Government for for responding to the damages caused by natural phenomenon that surpass the response capacity. This Federal Programme grants complementary and subsidiary support to the resources originally earmarked for disaster response when the disaster overcomes the financial capacity of the states and federal entities.

The Revolving (Rotary) Fund - providing resources for the acquisition of aid supplies to attend the urgent needs of the population in the immediate aftermath.

Natural Disaster Fund (FOPREDEN) - a preventative programme that seeks to provide economic resources for the the carrying out of actions aimed at disaster prevention including the identification of risk, risk mitigation and reduction and the promotion of a culture of risk reduction, disaster prevention and self-protection.

The Natural Disaster Prevention Fideicommissum (FIPREDEN) - is a Public Federal Fideicommissum to provide resources to the federal dependences, semi private entities and federal entities for carrying out necessary and urgent preventative actions not programmed.

Seismic Network Fideicommissum - to acquire seismological and seismic analysis instruments through a consolidated national network for contributing information for research and investigation and for the creation of effective warning systems.

The primary purpose of the National System is to promote education for self-protection that can summon and increase the interest of the general population, along with individual and group participation. In order to foster education in prevention and in civil protection, the public sector agencies and institutions, with the participation of organizations and institutions from the social, private, and academic sectors, promote among other actions:

The learning of measures of self-protection and self-care;

Carrying out simulation activities and drills;

Information campaigns on topics of Civil Protection, prevention and self-protection;

Gathering technical and scientific information;

Developing and applying measures, programs and economic tools for prompting, and fostering the investment and participation of the social and private sectors in promoting actions aimed at prevention;

Carrying out projects, studies and investments to expand and modernize the coverage of systems for measuring natural and human-made phenomena.

Establishing lines of action and information and telecommunications tools, especially at the municipal level;

The functioning of the National System of Civil Protection based on the Article 14 of the General Law of Civil Protection that establishes that: “In an emergency situation, aid to the population must be a priority function of civil protection, and hence the coordination arrangements must act together and in an orderly way, pursuant to this law and other applicable provisions”.

In order to begin assistance activities in the event of emergency, the first authority to become aware of the situation must immediately provide assistance and inform specialized civil protection agencies as soon as possible. The first level of specialized activity is the municipal or delegation authority which knows of the emergency situation. If the emergency exceeds its response capacity, it shall take the matter to the corresponding state level in terms of applicable legislation. If that proves insufficient, it shall notify the corresponding federal levels and they shall operate in accordance with the programs established for that purpose, in terms of this Law and other applicable legal provisions.

In actions of disaster relief and recovery, priority shall be given to vulnerable and low-income social groups. A suitable organization as for civil protection allows to diminish the risks to which the population is exposed. In the National System of Civil Protection's Organization Manual, they are described based on conformity to the attributes of every dependence and entity according to the activities to be carried out for disaster prevention, response and recovery. This allows, on one hand, to specify the responsible instances while also idetifying and assigning activities to which the authorities are forced during the diverse stages of the civil protection.

(Source: Official statement to the Global Platform 2009)

Urban indicators

Mexico City, Mexico (Capital of Mexico)

Population: 8,841,916 (2009)

Type of Hazard: Earthquakes and Floods

Located in the centre of the country, Mexico City lies atop of a high altitude plateau 2,240 metres above sea level. Towering high above the city’s southeast side are two active volcanoes: Popocatepetl and Iztaccihuatl. The surrounding valley, known as the Valley of Anáhuac, is a lake basin with no natural drainage outlet for the waters that flow from the mountainsides, making the city vulnerable to flooding. While not on or near any fault line the City is situated in a very active seismic zone and is extremely vulnerable to earthquakes.

The 1985 earthquake, which measured 8.1 on the Richter scale, caused the deaths of about 10,000 people and caused serious damage to the Mexican capital; thousands of buildings were flattened and a quarter of a million people lost their homes. Health facilities were especially hard hit, with many hospitals and clinics destroyed. Nearly one-fifth of the schools in the city were destroyed or seriously damaged as well as water, electrical and telecommunications systems.

Disaster Risk Reduction activities

To prepare for future disasters, Mexico City installed a public earthquake early warning system in August 1991 – the Seismic Alert System (or Sistema de Alerta Sísmica in Spanish) – that provides alerts through media outlets and Internet applications when an earthquake is detected. The system is capable of generating warning signals of about 60 seconds when detecting strong earthquakes occurring 280 km away.

"The Mexico City government recognizes that climate change is now the most serious threat to the planet, with unquestionable socio-economic consequences for the population, and the ecosystems. The effects of climate change have already been felt in Mexico City with the modification of the intensity and seasonal nature of the rains, the elevation of average annual temperatures, and the increased frequency of widespread, high-impact weather phenomena. The failure to take steps to mitigate the climate-change-related GHGs and to adapt to their effects, will heighten the risk of severe damage to physical, chemical, and biological systems, with negative consequences for the society, the environment, and the economy of Mexico City and the world. The Mexico City government understands that as a megacity with multiple risks, there is an urgent need for coming together in a campaign that will help us to share better ways to reduce urban risk and therefore save lives."

Marcelo Ebrard, Mayor of Mexico City: Mexico City is getting ready! - World Disaster Reduction Campaign 2010-2011, Making Cities Resilient: My City is Getting Ready!

Statistical Overview

Urbanisation:

Total Population: 100 million

Urban population: 75%

Slum to urban population: 20%

Annual population growth rates:

Urban: 2%

Slum: N/A

Slum Indicators - % urban population with access to

Safe water source: 94%

Improved sanitation: 85%

Sufficient living area: N/A

Durable housing: N/A

(Based on UN-Habitat 2001 estimates)

Indicator	2030
Total population (thousands)	128,125.4
Population in urban (thousands)	106,689.4
Population in slums (thousands)	N/A
Population in urban areas (% of total population)	83.3
Population in slums (% of urban population)	N/A
Annual urban population growth rate (%)	N/A
Annual slum population growth rate (%)	N/A
Population with access to improved sanitation (% of urban population)	N/A
Population with access to improved water (% of urban population)	N/A
Population with sufficient living area (% of urban population)	N/A
Population with durable structures (% of urban population)	N/A
Population in rural (thousands)	21,436.1

Source: UN-Habitat - The data presented here is extracted from UN-HABITAT's Global Urban Indicators database.

The data is drawn from different sources and based on 2030 estimates.

Capital City: Mexico City

See EMI's Cityriskpedia - Mexico

Climate change

Mexico's First National Communication on Climate Change to the UNFCC (December 1997)

Mexico's Second National Communication on Climate Change to the UNFCC (July 2001)

Mexico's Third National Communication on Climate Change to the UNFCC (November 2006)

Recent progress towards the implementation of the HFA

Mexico: Statement made at the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction (2009)

An Official Statement made by Lic. Laura Gurza Jaidar, General Coordinator for Civil Protection, Secretary of Government of Mexico at the second session of the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction, June 2009.

(Source: Official statement to the Global Platform 2009)

Commitments and proposals mentioned at GP09:

Desire to improve National System of Civil Protection with clear and concrete objectives to strengthen Risk Management.
Shared work model, to stop thinking about Civil Protection as an isolated entity and to ensure efficiency in the anticipation, preparation, aid release for the population, rehabilitation and recovery after disasters.

Concrete advancements and achievements mentioned at GP09:

PA1: General Law of Civil Protection is the set of legal provisions, measures, and actions intended for prevention, aid and recovery of the population in the event of a disaster.
PA1: Response to disaster from authorities and population has improved since earthquake of 1985.
PA1: In 1985 the National Reconstruction Commission was created to pursue studies that would lead to the establishment of the National System of Civil Protection.
PA1: In 1986 publication of the “Bases for the Establishment of the National System of Civil Protection".
PA1: In 1988 the Civil Protection, Prevention and Social Re-adaptation Sub-secretary was created as well as the Civil Protection General Direction.
PA1: In 1988 the National Disaster Prevention Center (CENAPRED) was created.
PA1: In 1990 the National Council of Civil Protection was created.
PA1: In 1995 the Scientific Advisory Committees of the SINAPROC was created.
PA1: In 1998 the General Coordination of Civil Protection was created as a result of the reorganization of the SEGOB, thus replacing the Sub-secretary.
PA1: In 2009 the Federation Agreement was published which announced the General Coordination of Civil Protection as Authority of National Security.

HFA P1 - Make Disaster Risk Reduction a Priority

HFA P2 - Risk identification and EWS

HFA P3 - Knowledge and education

HFA P4 - Reduce Risk

National Climate Change Strategy; 2007

Intersecretarial Climate Change Committee; Mexico, May 2007

In keeping with Basic Indicator 1 of HFA Priority 4 (See indicators of progress): Disaster risk reduction is an integral objective of environment related policies and plans, including for land use natural resource management and adaptation to climate change.

HFA P5 - Preparedness and response

Other Areas:

Mexico’s Fund for Natural Disasters (FONDEN) was established in 1996

Web Links

PreventionWeb: Mexico - Disaster Statistics

Mexico Coordination Profile; United Nations Development Group (includes Common Country Assessment - CCA, United Nations Development Assistance Framework - UNDAF, MDG Reports, UN Country Team, Resident Coordinator Office and more)

The Ministry of Government of Mexico (SEGOB) (Spanish)

National Civil Protection System (Spanish)

National Disaster Risk Atlas (Spanish)

Secretary of the National Defense (Spanish)

Secretary of Health

Radiological External Emergency Plan (Spanish)

National Commission on Nuclear Security and Safeguards (Spanish)

Procuratorate Federal Protection of the Environment (Spanish)

EM-DAT: Mexico EM-DAT Profile

Mexico's MDG Profile

Mexico's National Climate Change Website (Spanish)

Retrieved from "http://www.eird.org/country-profiles/profiles/index.php/Mexico"