July 24, 2015
Colombia Makes Strong Commitment This Week to a Greener Future
President Juan Manuel Santos and Minister of Environment and Sustainable Development
Gabriel Vallejo Lopez sign the commitment to protect more than 74,900 square miles of land
in Colombia by December 2018. Photo Credit: Juan David Tena.
On Wednesday, President Juan Manuel Santos announced that the Colombian government is committing
to increase the country’s environmentally protected areas to a total of more than 74,900 square miles by
December of 2018. Through the designation of these protected areas, the government is recognizing its
commitment to the conservation and preservation of land and ecosystems native to Colombia.
The government has already designated more than 16,600 square miles – a little more than the total area
of Switzerland – as environmentally protected areas, and has pledged to add an additional 1,150 square
miles over the next three years. The announcement came as part of a larger campaign designed to raise
awareness of the accomplishments of Colombia’s Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development in
the areas of environmental protection and sustainability, and to set goals for the future.
“We are a country with a rich biodiversity … the richest country per square kilometer, the second
most biodiverse in the world after Brazil. We are first in many species. All this is wealth that we
must protect for the future,” said President Santos.
To date, the Ministry has successfully:
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Raised more than $243 million to finance preventative action on climate change, deforestation and
conservation efforts.
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Added more than 16,600 square miles to the National System of Protected Areas.
Invested $142 million into the Amazon.
Zoned more than 195,000 square miles of forest reserves.
Prepared 50 percent of the country to adapt to climate change, including eight sectors that are
already adapting strategies to lower carbon
emissions.
This announcement came just a day after President
Santos announced that Colombia is committing to a 20
percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030.
The action comes as part of the United National
Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC),
and will be submitted to the Convention prior to the
meeting to be held this December in Paris.
According to Minister of Environment and Sustainable
Development Lopez, Colombia’s UN proposal will
focus on increasing energy efficiency and combating
President Juan Manuel Santos and Minister of Environment and
deforestation, among other objectives. In a
Sustainable Development Gabriel Vallejo Lopez travel through Colombia
statement, Minister Lopez said the commitment,
in a car powered by electricity. Photo Credit: Juan David Tena.
“implies a transformation of the national economy,
towards a model of efficient use of resources and energy,” which further builds on Colombia’s goal to play
a leading role in combating climate change and addressing environmental challenges.
Discover Colombia’s National Natural
Parks
Whether you are interested in hiking through jungles, taking
in the view from mountainous landscapes or swimming at
the beach, Colombia’s National Natural Park System is sure
to have a destination for you. Each protected area within
the national park system provides its visitors with a unique
experience, from exploring archaeological remains and
cave paintings to viewing a range of flora, fauna and wildlife
– and visitors from around the globe are taking notice.
Last year alone, Colombia was host to more than 4.2 million
international tourists, many who visited the country’s vast
national parks. Among the Colombian parks most
recognized around the globe is Tayrona National Natural
Park, ranked as one of “The 35 Most Amazing National
Parks on Earth” in the Huffington Post Travel section. The
park, located in the northern Caribbean region, is known for
its beautiful beaches, volcanic rocks and jungles.
Another one of Colombia’s can’t-miss parks is Los Katíos
National Natural Park, located in the northwest near Darién
Gap, with its great waterfalls and rolling
Click here to view a map of all of the protected areas of Colombia’s National
Natural Park System. Photo Credit: National Natural Parks of Colombia
website.
landscapes. The park, originally declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1994, was placed on the
UNESCO List of World Heritage in Danger in 2009 at the request of the Colombian government, due to
issues with illegal fishing and hunting, as well as deforestation.
Tayrona National Natural Park. Photo Credit:
National Natural Parks of Colombia website.
Los Katíos National Natural Park. Photo Credit:
National Natural Parks of Colombia website.
Tayrona National Natural Park. Photo Credit:
National Natural Parks of Colombia Flickr.
This year, on June 30, the park was officially removed from the World Heritage in Danger list, after the
tireless efforts of the Colombian government to improve management and preservation of the park.
In total, Colombia’s National Natural Park System includes 58 protected areas, and continues to grow as a
part of the government’s ongoing mission to promote sustainability and environmental preservation.
New Areas Being Designated
Just this week, Colombia’s Ministry of Environment enacted measures
to prevent mining and related activities in six new ecological areas. The
action was taken as a precautionary step to protect the areas from new
mining activity while their declaration as protected ecosystems within
the National Natural Park System continues to be finalized. The
approximately 6,400 square miles of land protected through this
precautionary measure include: the Transitional Cumaribo Forests,
High Manacacías, the Serranía de San Lucas, the dry forests of Patía,
the Serranía del Perijá, and the Savannas and the Wetlands of Arauca.
Pending the addition of the six protected ecosystems, as well as Cape
Mangrove and the Cinaruco River, which await national park
designation, Colombia will have between 59 and 67 national protected
areas within its National Natural Parks System. These actions make
major strides toward accomplishing Colombia’s conservation goal of
having 17 percent of each of its most representative ecosystems as
protected areas.
Visit Colombia’s National Natural Park website or the official travel
guide for more information on planning your visit to one of
Colombia’s parks.
The purple areas above show the ecological
areas designated for protection by the recent
measures. Photo Credit: Ministry of Environment
and Sustainable Development website.
I n Ca s e Y o u M i s s e d I t …
Young Athletes Gather in Cali for IAAF World Youth Championship
From July 15 through July 19, young athletes from
around the world gathered in Cali, Colombia, for the
9th International Association of Athletic Federations
(IAAF) World Youth Championship. The competition
brought together more than 1,200 athletes from 154
countries, including 39 from Colombia. This was the
first time a South American country has hosted the
event since it began in 1999. The competition
provides a unique opportunity to showcase the
talent of the world’s leading athletes under the age
of 18.
For more information on the event, and to see the
results, click here.
Young athletes gather for the pre-event press
conference, including Colombia’s Carlos Santiago
Hernandez (right). Photo Credit: IAAF website, Getty
images.
Andrés Hoyos on Exhibit at Ambassador’s Residence
Beginning July 12 through August 28, the works of
Colombian artist Andrés Hoyos are on exhibit at the
Residence of the Ambassador of Colombia. The
exhibition, “Definition of Color,” features a wide range of
media, from photos to actual three-dimensional objects,
such as his “Flying Chairs” series. As highlighted in a
Washington Post article this week, Hoyos’s work focuses
on using recycled materials, stamps in particular, to bring
attention to the importance of considering our
environmental impact.
For more information on visiting the exhibition, contact
[email protected].
“Flying Chairs.” Photo Credit: Andrés Hoyos.
Get to know Colombia.
Learn more at www.colombiaemb.org.