Climate change

Although Colombia has only generated 0.37% of worldwide emissions of greenhouse gases, according to IDEAM, climate change is a matter of the greatest importance to the National Government and must be dealt with urgently, focusing on historical, common and differentiated responsibilities.

Both mitigation of climate change, through a reduction in greenhouse gases, such as adaptation to it, are priorities of the national environmental policy under which the Low Carbon Development Strategy (mitigation), the National Adaptation to Climate Change Plan (adaptation) and the REDD (Reduction of Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation) are established.

Colombia, as a country rich in environmental assets and, in turn, highly vulnerable to the effects of climate change, participates actively in negotiations under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change - UNFCCC and its Kyoto Protocol. Colombia’s positions have been highlighted because they are moderate, constructive and progressive and they facilitate the positive course of negotiations for the establishment of a legally binding agreement.

We highlight Colombia’s creation of the Group of Highly Vulnerable Countries, whose purpose is to ensure priority access to the resources needed for adaptation to climate change.

The next Conference of the Parties of the UNFCCC will be held from November 28 to December 9, 2011, in Durban, South Africa. Colombia has participated actively in the preparation of this conference and expects to continue working to ensure the success of the meeting and to progress along the path towards the adoption of a legally binding agreement that defines the architecture of the international climate change regime.

Some of the international conventions, protocols, international bodies and initiatives of which Colombia is a party are the following: