The Obama administration plans to begin talks with Mexico on sharing civilian nuclear technology to meet a clean energy target and strengthen the countries’ commitment to an international deal to fight climate change.
President Obama discussed the nuclear energy collaboration with Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto after a meeting Friday.
“Both of our nations are committed to ensuring that the historic Paris agreement is fully implemented,” Obama said at a joint press conference at the White House. “And we are going to keep on working toward the goal announced last month in Ottawa, generating half of the electricity in North America through clean power by 2025.”
A goal of the president is for December’s Paris climate deal to enter into force with 196 countries before he leaves office. A number of countries still must demonstrate their intent to formally ratify the agreement for it to go into effect.
But in the meantime, the joint agreement among the U.S., Canada and Mexico to hit the 50-percent clean energy target will continue in the fall with a meeting to discuss cooperation on nuclear energy, which has no greenhouse gas emissions, and to strengthen the ties between U.S. and Mexican power companies, Obama said.
“With that goal in mind we are pursuing an agreement this year on sharing civilian nuclear technology,” the president said. “This fall our new U.S.-Mexico Energy Business Council will meet for the very first time to strengthen the ties between our energy industries.”
