Ensenada hosted the first California–Baja California Regional Sustainable Development Summit, focusing on zero-emission mobility, energy transition, and energy efficiency. The meeting, was attended by representatives from governments, academia, the private sector, and civil society from both sides of the border.
The event was organized by the Baja California Ministry of Economy and Innovation (SEI), the University of California Alliance MX, and the UC Berkeley Center for Law, Energy, and the Environment, following up on the Memorandum of Understanding signed in 2024 between the Baja California State Energy Commission and the California Energy Commission.
The opening day included the conference “Innovation in the Energy Transition: Needs of the Binational Region,” given by Andrew McAllister, California Energy Commissioner, with comments by Joaquín Gutiérrez, Director of the Baja California State Energy Commission, and Nivaldo Santos of CETYS University. A second plenary session addressed sustainable mobility, with the participation of the Autonomous University of Baja California (UABC), the Institute for Sustainable Mobility (IMOS), and the National Chamber of Freight Transport (CANACAR).
During the two days of activities, participants identified needs and discussed proposals for collaborative research projects, addressing shared challenges and opportunities in the region. UC Alianza MX seeks to strengthen collaboration between University of California campuses and strategic partners in Mexico, promoting research, technological innovation, and sustainable public policies.
For its part, the Center for Law, Energy, and the Environment (CLEE) at UC Berkeley contributes expertise in legal and public policy solutions to address climate change and other environmental challenges. Ethan N. Elkind, director of CLEE’s Climate Program, noted that the Summit represents an opportunity to coordinate energy policies and projects between Baja California and California toward cleaner and more productive systems.
The event will continue with a “triple helix” collaboration panel on energy poverty, energy in the fishing industry, as well as the presentation of lessons, best practices, and a collaborative projects workshop.
