Posted on diciembre, 23 2019

2020 is uniquely suited to create an environmental movement and we will make every effort to fight for the adoption of key measures to change our current historical trajectory and help Colombia honor its many international environmental commitments, such as the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), reduction in deforestation and those focused on fighting climate change.

We will continue to work on achieving our forest, water, ocean and wildlife conservation goals as well as those we have set for ourselves towards consolidating more sustainable food systems as well as low carbon development proposals aiming to reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions in Colombia.  Without a doubt, we will be making a considerable bid in 2020 to transform our food systems; the way we produce and consume is critical to the planet’s future. 

2020 will also be a highlight for our work with protected areas: we aspire to launch and begin implementing the Herencia Colombia (HECO) in July.  This program takes advantage of the national carbon tax and international funding to guarantee the financial sustainability of the country’s National System of Protected Areas.
 
In addition to this, the Parques y Paz (Parks and Peace) project will be launched to promote solutions to the problems posed by land use, occupation and tenure in six National Parks, and to contribute to strengthening national peace and creation of sustainable livelihood alternatives for local communities. This initiative will be complemented by the Macarena Ecological Restoration project, which will create conservation agreements among peasant communities living in the Macarena National Natural Park. A new GEF Orinoco project will also be launched next year to promote high biodiversity and low carbon production landscapes together with the World Bank, the Ministry of Environment and other partners.
 
We hope to finalize the new National Protected Area System Policy emphasizing the need for equity and connectivity, and consolidating participatory management and conservation actions in these areas through work with local and regional community organizations.
 
Regarding reducing emissions and cities, Medellín, Cali, Pereira and Montería will participate in the UK government BEIS funded project, which seeks to assign a relevant role to local authorities in the process of quantifying the level of greenhouse gas emissions produced by the transportation sector and their contribution to national commitments (NDC). This is part of a project carried out by WWF and C40 to develop local strategies to reduce GHG emissions and contribute to  the commitments of the Paris Accord and Colombia’s intention to reduce its Greenhouse Gas Emissions by 20%.
 
We will, of course, continue to work towards the implementation of a New Deal for Nature and People, and to increase regional support for this new agreement and to deploy the mechanisms necessary for carrying it out. We are sure that the time for action is now. We cannot let this opportunity pass us by.
 
These are only some of our initiatives. We hope to continue counting on our alliances and partnership, the only way to achieve the ambitious goals we have set for ourselves.