Mexican energy minister Georgina Kessel said on Thursday that reducing carbon footprint on the planet is the biggest challenge in the 21st century.

Nations, their governments and their societies must work together in fighting climate change, Kessel told a meeting of the Mexican Chemical Engineers Association in the northern Mexican city of Monterrey.

Mexico has been committed to cutting greenhouse gas emissions in half by 2050 compared with the 2000 level, which represents an emissions cut of 340 million tons of carbon dioxide, Kessel said.

She also praised the chemical industry for supporting topics that will be discussed at a United Nations climate change meeting to be held from Nov. 29 to Dec. 10 in Cancun, a resort city on Mexico's Caribbean coast.