MEXICO’S G20 SHERPA, AMBASSADOR LOURDES ARANDA, ADDRESSES THE CLUB OF MADRID

• Members of the Club of Madrid shared their successful practices related to green growth.

• The discussion is part of the broader dialogue in which the Mexican Presidency of the G20 has engaged.

The Mexican Sherpa for the Group of Twenty (G20), Ambassador Lourdes Aranda, addressed members of the Club of Madrid at a roundtable discussion on green growth that took place today in Mexico City.

The Club of Madrid members present included the former president of Mozambique, Joaquim Chissano; former Colombian President Andres Pastrana; and the former Prime Minister of the Netherlands, Ruud Lubbers. Specific recommendations for the G20 summit that will be held in Los Cabos from June 18-19 were made at the meeting. The Club of Madrid is an independent, pluralistic and non-profit organization that was founded in 2002 and includes over 80 former Heads of State and Government who bring their experience in politics and government to a wide variety of issues.

The Vice President of the Club of Madrid and former President of Bolivia, Jorge Quiroga, led the opening meeting. This was followed by three discussions on limited resources and a growing population; green cities: energy efficiency, infrastructure and transport networks; and taxation and fossil fuel subsidies.

At each session, Club members shared success stories from various countries, while emphasizing how important it is for the issue of green growth to remain on the G20 agenda after the conclusion of the Mexican presidency.

The meeting was part of the expanded dialogue conducted by the Mexican presidency of the G20 with nonmember countries, the business sector, academia and civil society as a whole in order to give the G20 discussions greater diversity and transparency and make them more inclusive.