President of the United Mexican States Claudia Sheinbaum
Sheinbaum: A defining moment is a particular point in a leader’s life which sets the course for their focus on environmental policy, ultimately leading to them becoming a climate leader. It is a turning point that deeply influenced their current dedication to climate action. From that point on, a figure is expected to consciously take on the role of a climate leader, committing themselves to the cause in a way that reflects their own values and perspectives.
When selecting one that effectively represented all aspects of Sheinbaum’s career, it had to be an achievement of hers that presented both her scientific prowess and political abilities. The achievement also had to show significance in the field of climate change leadership and stand as a benchmark for Sheinbaum’s life, continually mentioned in any future endeavours.
Several moments were considered, as early in her career as her first doctorate degree from UNAM in 1994, significant for the sheer academic achievement, as well as the social boundaries she overcame as a woman in a male-dominated field. Her latest major achievement, becoming Mexico’s first female president, was also considered. However, the true defining moment this report selected is her contribution to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) 2007 Working Group III report on the mitigation of climate change, in which she was a contributing author to Chapter 7 on Industry.
The IPCC report is not like any other: it often runs thousands of pages in length and takes years to produce in order to be used by policymakers, scientists and organizations around the world. Dedicating time to this endeavour has been described as “intense”, “stressful” and “unsustainable,” but becomes an “academic honour.” Like all IPCC report authors, Sheinbaum was not paid. Intrinsically, this moment is defining for a climate leader because its effects are long-term and global in nature. These reports have inspired achievements such as the formation of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the signing of the Paris Agreement.
The IPCC would go on to be awarded a Nobel Peace Prize “for their efforts to build up and disseminate greater knowledge about man-made climate change”, with the “scientists that had contributed substantially to the preparation of [the 2007 report]” each being given a personalized certificate diploma. Due to her being classified as a contributing author on this report, Sheinbaum was not given a certificate. However, her assistance to the work still presented a large shift in her career from that moment on. In 2014, Sheinbaum would go on to be a lead author in the same Industry chapter for the 2014 5th Assessment IPCC report. This paper updated the information from the 2007 instalment and provided newly accrued details on the topics covered. Sheinbaum advancing from a contributing author to a leading author implies an increased devotion to the work of the IPCC, as well as perhaps a more internationally recognized authority on the subject of climate change mitigation.
While Sheinbaum had, at that point, already been a dominant figure in environmental science domestically, between her academic work and experience as Secretary of Environment, her contribution to the IPCC report and its subsequent international recognition marked her transition to an international figure years before her public prospects of becoming president. Beyond general recognition, the international nature of the team that worked on the report, with lead and contributing authors including scientists, politicians, and activists from dozens of developed and developing countries, Sheinbaum’s catalogue of climate connections significantly increased. Furthermore, the IPCC being a UN-organized body symbolizes Sheinbaum’s first public interactions with an intergovernmental body, especially the UN itself, presumably having a future influence on her relationships with the UN once she became president.
For the reasons mentioned above, the 2007 IPCC report represents a clear benchmark in Sheinbaum’s extensive career, serving as a bridge between Sheinbaum’s (mostly) domestic-based environmental and political career, and her subsequent evolution into an international figure as a continually more successful politician that places an emphasis on the environment. It highlights the achievements Sheinbaum had already attained at that point, in particular her multiple doctorates, as stepping stones to a feat some would work their entire lives to achieve. Looking into the environmental policies she would introduce while governing Mexico City, and as president of Mexico, it is possible to see an invisible string linking the thought processes behind said policies to the IPCC report itself.
IExRAIA Summer Research Program:
This article is an excerpt from a report on Claudia Sheinbaum produced as part of an RAIA research program on climate leaders. For a full picture of Ruto’s climate leadership, including the sources, read the full report. This project was fully financed by IE University’s IE School of Politics, Economics and Global Affairs.
Authors: Josip Biondić & Manuela Altés Alcaraz
Editor: Francia Morales
Project Lead: Roxane de Bergevin & Stefani Obradovic
