Low participation of renewables, partial environmental goals and challenges in water management, three years after the beginning of the government persists.
Low participation of renewables, partial environmental goals and challenges in water management, three years after the beginning of the government persists.
Gustavo Petro assumed the presidency of Colombia in August 2022 with an agenda focused on climate change and environmental protection. During his campaign, he raised two key commitments: an energy transition that allowed the country to move away from fossil fuels and an environmental policy oriented to water conservation and ecosystems.
Three years after his mandate, these promises show concrete advances, but also difficulties that have limited total fulfillment.
One of the most significant decisions was not to sign new oil and gas exploration contracts, together with the rejection of fracking and open -pit mining. This policy was raised as the first step towards a decarbonized economy. However, Ecopetrol has maintained hydrocarbons operations, both in Colombia and abroad.
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In particular, its presence continues in the Permica Basin, in the United States, although in February 2025 the president requested the sale of these operations with the objective of financing the expansion of clean energy projects.
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Regarding renewable energy, the Government has promoted 25 projects with approved licenses, of a total of 43 planned, which would add 5.6 gigawatts of installed capacity. In 2024 66 solar projects were executed that generated about 2 additional gigawatts, with an estimated investment of 2.2 billion dollars.
However, the weight of unconventional energies in the national energy matrix is still low. By August 2025, these sources represent only 6.1 % of the matrix, far from 12 % projected at the beginning of the government period.
One of the outstanding actions was the acquisition by Ecopetrol of the Windpeshi wind project, in La Guajira, for 50 million dollars. This park, which would have a capacity of 205 megawatts, seeks to enter into operation in 2028.
Despite its potential, it faces delays due to conflicts with indigenous communities, which reflects the social difficulties associated with this type of infrastructure. On the other hand, decisions such as the importation of liquefied natural gas from countries such as Qatar have been questioned because they are considered incompatible with energy transition objectives.
In terms of conservation, the Government reported a historical decrease in deforestation during the year 2023. However, this trend was partially reversed during the first semester of 2024. Advances in the protection of strategic areas such as the Los Nevados Natural Park are highlighted, where more than 180,000 hectares were protected, contributing to the water supply for more than three million people.
These measures are registered in the commitment to order the territory around water, as stated in the campaign.
In ecosystems restoration, the Ministry of Environment reached 9 % of the recovery goal of 1.7 million hectares. In addition, progress was made in community agreements for water management, with a 69 % compliance, and in environmental urban projects in municipalities with less than 50,000 inhabitants, with 70 % advance.
To these efforts are added the creation of the Fund for Life and Biodiversity, which has mobilized more than 3 billion pesos in environmental investments, and the strengthening of citizen participation mechanisms, including the implementation of the Escazú Agreement and protection measures for environmental defenders.
In parallel, the international movement ‘Paz with nature’ was launched, aimed at positioning the climatic crisis as a global priority. In terms of water infrastructure, the Government announced a plan in Santa Marta that includes the construction of desalination plants fed with solar energy, with the aim of guaranteeing access to long -term drinking water. However, the country’s central region faces a critical situation.
In Bogotá, the water crisis continues due to the low levels of the reservoirs of the Chingaza system, which has led to rations that extended until April 2025, without a definitive solution.
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Three years after the beginning of the government, the environmental balance shows relevant advances in the implementation of renewable energy, ecological restoration and participatory governance. However, the total fulfillment of promises faces structural limitations, social tensions, technical difficulties and an economic context that has demanded complex decisions.
With a remaining year of management, environmental commitments remain a central part of the government agenda, but its complete execution will depend on the rhythm that is maintained in the coming months.
Source: Integrated information system
