Colombia and the UK renewed their “Partnership for Sustainable
Growth”, to accelerate the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions
and to promote sustainable, low carbon and nature-positive
development.
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The Partnership focuses on halting and reversing
deforestation, implementing a just and ambitious energy
transition, and promoting the sustainable use of
biodiversity, with a commitment to supporting local
communities across the country. This next phase of the
Partnership will also expand to include new and vital areas
of collaboration, including halting biodiversity loss in land
and marine ecosystems, whilst also ensuring participation and
mainstreaming of gender and social inclusion.
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The UK also announced two new innovative projects to empower
indigenous peoples and local communities (IPLCs) in Colombia.
Working with WWF, the UK will accompany IPLCs to enable them
to harness the international carbon markets and maximise the
opportunities they provide. The UK will also join a project
led by GAIA Foundation to support the official recognition of
Indigenous Local Governments in the Amazon.
Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, 7 November 2022 , the United Kingdom’s
Foreign Secretary, was joined by his Colombian counterpart Alvaro
Leyva, Minister of Foreign Affairs, as well as the Minister of
State at the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, Lord
, and the Colombian Minister of Environment and
Sustainable Development, Susana Muhamad, to renew the UK-Colombia
Partnership for Sustainable Growth. Both countries pledged to
continue their innovative work on climate change, while deepening
their collaboration to protect key land and marine ecosystems.
The UK-Colombia Partnership for Sustainable Growth, an ambitious
agreement signed in 2019, is a strong example of how bilateral
collaboration can address the socio environmental challenges of
climate change through a cross-cutting agenda that includes
forests and biodiversity protection, renewable energy,
sustainable mobility and infrastructure, as well as sustainable
livelihoods and mobilising finance for climate and nature.
Recognising the need to jointly address the biodiversity and
climate crisis, both countries will deepen their bilateral
cooperation on climate change and increase efforts to protect and
restore nature and biodiversity in land and marine ecosystems.
This will include further work on the illegal wildlife trade,
ocean pollution and forest and marine protection, with gender and
social inclusion integrated at all stages, including recognising
the central role played by indigenous people and local
communities in nature conservation.
Building on the important work carried out to-date, the UK is
pleased to announce that, from early 2023, we will also start
working with WWF Colombia to empower indigenous communities and
help them to harness and maximise opportunities from
international carbon markets, ensuring fair processes and best
practices.
A second project with GAIA has also been confirmed, which seeks
to support the official recognition of Indigenous Local
Governments in the Amazon, who are currently protecting 11
million hectares of forest and promote improved conditions.
Commenting on the renewal of the UK Colombia Partnership for
Sustainable Growth, , the United Kingdom’s
Foreign Secretary, commented:
The UK and Colombia are working closely together to prevent
deforestation, promote a just energy transition and protect
Colombia’s incredible biodiversity. I’m delighted to renew the UK
Colombia Partnership for Sustainable Growth today to deepen that
co-operation even further, on one of the greatest shared
challenges we face.
Lord , Minister of State for Overseas Territories,
Commonwealth, Energy, Climate and Environment, said:
Colombia is one of the most beautiful places I know and for me it
is very important to be here with you at COP27 and to be able to
make this Alliance. The Amazon is wonderful, we must protect the
paramos, its frailejones and its important water production.
The Colombian Minister, Susana Muhamad, also commented:
The United Kingdom is a strategic ally to focus on the defence of
the Amazon and create a new face for this program that seeks to
stop deforestation in our country.
The renewed Partnership for Sustainable Growth sets out a clear
roadmap for UK Colombian cooperation on climate and nature during
President Gustavo Petro’s administration with defined priorities
from both countries.
