Publication of the National Agreement on the Human Right to Water and Sustainability

Greenberg Traurig - On 19 December 2024, the National Agreement on the Human Right to Water and Sustainability (the ‘Agreement’) was published in the Official Gazette of the Federation (the ‘DOF’), which contains a diagnosis of the water problem in the country and proposes actions to address it.

The key points of the Accord are summarised below:

On 19 December 2024, the National Agreement for the Human Right to Water and Sustainability (the ‘Agreement’) was published in the Official Journal of the Federation (the ‘DOF’), which contains a diagnosis of the water problem in the country and proposes actions to address it.


Diagnosis

(1) Global Problem:

- The shortage of safe drinking water and adequate sanitation affects millions of people globally.

- The UN highlights the need to address these challenges, including access to safe drinking water, pressure on water resources and mitigation of droughts and floods.

(2) Situation in Mexico:

- Water scarcity affects 35 million Mexicans.

- There are 114 overexploited aquifers; per capita water availability has decreased 80% since 1950.

- High pollution in rivers and water bodies.

- Inequality in the distribution of the resource, affecting states such as Nuevo León, Mexico City and Chiapas.

(3) Impacts of Climate Change:

- Recurrent droughts affected 88% of municipalities during 2024.

- Most water in Mexico is used for agriculture (76%), while only 14.8% is used for human consumption.


Objectives and Strategies

(1) Coordinated Actions:

- Ensure access to sufficient and quality water.

- Promote sustainable practices in agriculture and industry.