The climate threat|The political situation in Colombia

Colombia is aiming high – but the projects are treading water  

 

Over 50 possible wind and solar power projects have been initiated in Colombia since 2019, but not a single one is yet in operation, writes Reuters. 

 

Several foreign companies have postponed or halted their billion-dollar projects indefinitely, blaming local protests against construction. 

 

The transition is further complicated by the fact that more than half of Colombia's export earnings come from fossil fuels, writes the site Climate Home News. Experts have warned that a phase-out of oil and gas could damage the country's economy. 

 

- If we do not invest in exploration now, we will have to import gas and oil. It would be disastrous for our economy, says Milton Montoya, a professor at the Externado University in Bogotá. 

 

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Critical minorities get to ride Colombia's green wave  

 

In order to speed up the transition to renewable energy, the Colombian government has decided that minorities and farmers should be offered the opportunity to participate in developing and profiting from the green projects, reports Reuters.  

 

Left-wing President Gustavo Petro has promised that Colombia will replace oil and gas with solar, wind and hydropower, but work has fallen behind due to delayed environmental licenses and opposition from minority groups and indigenous people in the northern province of La Guajira.  

 

These groups will now be able to collaborate with private and state companies to build their own green energy networks. They must also be able to earn money by selling electricity to other parts of the country or abroad.

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