by Alexander Manda

    MEXICO CITY, Aug. 24 (Xinhua) -- Mexico is working with Latin American peers Colombia and Costa Rica to fight greenhouse gases via carbon storage, the nation's Environment Secretary Juan RafaelElvira Quesada said on Monday.

    "We are working with Costa Rica and Colombia on environment mitigation and education, and seeking a joint system for storing carbon," Elvira said in a press conference.

    Methane, produced by rotting organic waste, and carbon dioxide, mostly produced by engines and electricity turbines, are main greenhouse gases in the Earth's atmosphere. Carbon capture and storage serve an effective way to check and reverse the climate change.

    Even without other countries' cooperation, Mexico will endeavor to combat climate change since it has realized the high cost of ignoring it, Elvira said.

    He estimated that if Mexico chose to do nothing about climate change, it would suffer a heavy loss of nearly 15.3 percent of gross domestic product (GDP), while the cost of prevention over the same time would be around 5.6 percent.

    "Climate change clearly costs more than mitigation," he said. In 2007, heavy rains flooded 70 percent of southern state Tabasco, inflicting a loss of 0.5 percent of GDP, he said.

    He said that the Mexican government had committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 128.5 million tons from 2008 to 2012.

    "We aim to emit less without sacrificing growth ... (the plan) helps boost foreign direct investment and budget efficiency and create a low carbon economy," he said.

    Mexico produces 6.4 tons of greenhouse gases per person, around 9 percent less than the world average of 7.1 tons. It is responsible for around 1.6 percent of total world emissions.

    Mexico has started negotiations with the United States and Canada, its two partners in the North American Free Trade Agreement, about trilateral collaboration on clean energy and energy efficiency, Elvira added.