Outgoing Colombia environment minister warns incoming administration could reverse climate policies

Colombia’s outgoing environment minister warned Friday that the incoming government could reverse recent climate and conservation gains. In an interview with The Associated Press, the minister pointed to the incoming administration’s support for fracking and fossil fuel development and what she described as climate skepticism among some officials.

She said she fears Colombia could lose ground on climate action at a time when the country is already confronting increasingly severe environmental challenges, including El Nino, a naturally occurring climate phenomenon that can disrupt rainfall patterns and trigger droughts, floods and extreme heat.

Political transition and policy differences The comments come weeks before the president-elect takes office on Aug. 7 following a narrow election victory that marked a sharp political shift in Colombia after four years under the current president. The outgoing administration sought to position Colombia as a global leader on climate diplomacy, Amazon protection and a transition away from fossil fuels.

During the campaign, the president-elect pledged to revive Colombia’s oil sector, voiced support for fracking and argued the country should make greater use of its natural resources to spur economic growth.

Amazon governance and extractive industries About 42% of Colombia’s territory is covered by Amazon rainforest, and the outgoing administration made rainforest protection and a transition away from fossil fuels central pillars of its environmental agenda.

The outgoing minister said she worries the incoming administration could weaken recent efforts to recognize Indigenous authorities as key environmental decision-makers and reduce support for Indigenous territorial governance initiatives. She also expressed concern about the possible return of aerial glyphosate spraying of coca, describing the herbicide as potentially carcinogenic to humans and saying its use had caused lasting environmental and health impacts in Colombia.