Quintana Roo’s Eco-Revolution: Progress & Protection

Chetumal — In an appearance before the Commission of Environment and Climate Change of the XVIII Legislature, the head of the Secretary of Ecology and Environment (SEMA), Óscar Rebora, emphasized that the government of Mara Lezama has successfully transformed the environmental policy of Quintana Roo, turning it into an axis of social justice, future planning, and the protection of life.

“Today, the environment has ceased to be a secondary issue. In Quintana Roo, it has become an inalienable human right and the heart of social justice,” stated Rebora.

Principal Achievements Presented

Territorial and Urban Planning: More than 52 percent of the state's territory is now subject to ecological zoning, with participatory processes in municipalities such as Tulum, Cozumel, Isla Mujeres, and Playa del Carmen. The goal is to reach 100 percent coverage by 2027, putting an end to disorder and guaranteeing certainty for both communities and responsible investments.

Hurricane Protection: Some 1,176 kilometers of coastal shoreline are insured each year with parametric policies, benefiting more than 1.8 million people. Following Hurricane Beryl, a payment of more than 8.9 million pesos was activated for beach and reef restoration.

Sargassum Management: The first Sargassum Monitoring and Early Detection Center in Mexico and Latin America was created, with more than 176,000 tons collected over three years and the launch of the Comprehensive Sanitation and Circular Economy Center (CISEC), which will utilize the seaweed to generate biogas.

Circular Economy and Waste: Recovery of 20,660 tons of valuable materials, installation of 137 collection centers, and the progressive elimination of single-use plastics through agreements in municipalities such as Bacalar and Carrillo Puerto.

Education and Citizen Participation: Programs like "Recycle for Your Future" and "Transform and Collect" trained more than 15,000 people and benefited 442,000 residents, turning waste management into a shared action between the government and citizens.

Biodiversity Protection: Release of 849,000 sea turtle hatchlings, rescue of cenotes in Tulum and Playa del Carmen, reforestation with more than 19,000 native trees, and jaguar coexistence programs to protect both wildlife and communities.

Animal Welfare: Unprecedented implementation of pet shelters during hurricanes and the launch of Animal Welfare Caravans, providing more than 1,200 free sterilizations and vaccinations in communities.

National Leadership: Quintana Roo assumed the Presidency of the National Association of State Environmental Authorities (ANAAE), from where it is promoting a plan of more than 90 actions toward 2027, 2030, and 2050, and strengthening the voice of the states in the international climate agenda.

Óscar Rebora concluded that these results represent a paradigm shift in Quintana Roo.

“We moved from improvisation to planning, from disorder to territorial planning, from seeing nature as a resource to recognizing it as part of our very lives. With Governor Mara Lezama, Quintana Roo is becoming a national benchmark for environmental justice,” he said.