Protected land as percentage of total land area: 10% (7% partially protected)

CO₂ emissions trend: 3.9 tonnes per capita

ENVIRONMENTAL TREATIES

		Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) Washington DC, 1973		yes
		Convention on Biological Diversity Earth Summit in Rio, 1992		yes
		1992 Amendment to protocol on substances that deplete the ozone layer (amendment to Montreal Protocol) Copenhagen, 1992		yes
		Kyoto Convention on reduction of greenhouse gas emissions Earth Summit in Kyoto, 1997		yes
		Basel convention on the dumping of hazardous wastes (Basel) Basel, 1989		yes
		Convention on Wetlands of International Importance (Ramsar) Ramsar, Iran 1971		yes

Mexico City, largely unplanned, struggles to accommodate around 20 million inhabitants as the absence of environmental controls contributes to perhaps the world's worst air quality and waste problems. PEMEX (the state petroleum company) stands accused of massive pollution. Maquiladoras – assembly plants on the Mexico–US border – have no effective environmental controls and are usually surrounded by slums. Environmentalists oppose the intense development of tourism along the coast and are concerned about high rates of deforestation.

From "The Financial Times World Desk Reference" © Dorling Kindersley 2004