McALLEN, Texas (Border Report) — The ambassadors for both the United States and Mexico will discuss cross-border partnerships on climate and the environment as drought continues in the region.

The North American Development Bank will host the U.S.-Mexico Border Environmental Forum XXVI on Wednesday and Thursday in downtown San Antonio.

The theme is “Creating a Greener and More Prosperous Border” and will include sessions on climate finance, social and governance trends, and ways both countries can partner to better clean up the Texas-Mexico border region.

Binational collaboration regarding the dwindling Rio Grande also is expected to be discussed as drought continues to plague northern Mexico and South Texas.

U.S. Ambassador to Mexico Ken Salazar and Mexican Ambassador to the U.S. Esteban Moctezuma are to kick off the event on Wednesday. They are expected to discuss the importance of establishing a cleaner border environment to improve the quality of life and health of residents on both sides of the Rio Grande.

Both ambassadors have been open supporters of a proposed binational river park, which has already had funds allocated by both federal governments and soon will begin with Phase I of cleaning up various sections of Laredo, Texas, and Nuevo Laredo, Mexico.

An aerial view of an architectural schematic of what the proposed Binational River Project could look like between Laredo, Texas, and Nuevo Laredo, Mexico. (Rendering courtesy of Overland Partners Architects in collaboration with Able City)

Both touted the project in June during an environmental border conference held in Washington, D.C.

The San Antonio architect and others involved with the binational river park project will lead a session on Wednesday afternoon, having traveled to Mexico City on Sunday to meet with members of Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador’s staff.

Other speakers scheduled for the environmental forum include: San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg; Samuel Garcia Sepulveda, governor of the northern Mexican state of Nuevo Leon; Mexican federal Sen. Gina Cruz Blackledge from Baja California; Laredo Mayor Pete Saenz; and U.S. Rep. Tony Gonzales, a Republican from West Texas.

“NADBank is proud to host this year’s Border Environmental Forum. By bringing together local and state officials, private sector developers, academics, and ESG and energy innovators from the U.S. and Mexico, we provide a platform for the exchange of ideas and collaboration between the two countries in a way that will bring the most impact to the border region,” NADBank Managing Director Calixto Mateos Hanel said in a statement.