Cautious praise for Peña Nieto’s green pick

Mexico

Two months into his job as Mexico’s new environment secretary, Juan José Guerra Abud has promised to continue government efforts to protect one of the country’s most endangered species, the vaquita porpoise, and has restarted blocked negotiations with automakers over fuel-economy standards. Green groups, watching cautiously, believe Guerra’s actions suggest that the new government of President Enrique Peña Nieto might take an activist approach to environmental policy. But they say it is far too early to tell how effective this approach ultimately will be in protecting the environment. “The secretary’s job is to watch over the environment, not promote investment,” says Gustavo Alanís, director of the Mexican Center for Environmental Law, a top environmental-advocacy group here. “The big challenge is how he can... [Log in to read more]

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