Colombia

In 2020, Colombia submitted its updated Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC), showing a significant increase in ambition compared to the original NDC from 2015. Reducing emissions from deforestation is a key component of Colombia's mitigation measures. To fully decarbonise its economy, further efforts are needed in the energy and transportation sectors, according to the Climate Action Tracker.

At the 26th Conference of the Parties (COP 26) to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) held in Glasgow in 2021, Colombia also unveiled its Long-Term Low Greenhouse Gas Emission Development Strategy (LTS). The overarching goal is to achieve climate neutrality by 2050, with a focus on sectors responsible for the highest greenhouse gas emissions – energy, agriculture, forestry, and other land uses (AFOLU). Colombia’s government intends a government-wide coordination through the LTS for a low-carbon and resilient development of the country. The 2050 carbon neutrality target was also enshrined in Colombia’s domestic law in 2021.

Back in 2016, the country initiated its process to develop a National Adaptation Plan (NAP), which was led by the National Planning Department (DNP) and submitted in 2021.

In 2012, Colombia published its National Biodiversity Policy, followed in 2017 by its National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP) (2016-2030), within the framework of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), aimed at implementing strategic biodiversity targets. An update of the NBSAP in line with the goals agreed upon in the new Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) is expected prior to the CBD COP16, which will be held in Cali, Colombia in October 2024.Colombia is also a member of the NBSAP Accelerator Partnership, which was launched in September 2023 and is currently receiving IKI support through the project ‘Operationalizing the NBSAP Accelerator Partnership’ with a funding volume of EUR 30 Million.

Colombia was also a founding member of the NDC Partnership in 2016 and has since received support for various requests, including from IKI projects directly.

The cooperation with Colombia in the IKI funding area of Mitigating Greenhouse Gas Emissions is mostly addressed through several multi-country projects and is the largest funding area. Main topics are

• NDC and LTS support, 
• Green Financing, 
• Green Cooling, 
• Sustainable Urban Development/Mobility, and 
• Just Energy Transition (JET).

The other IKI funding areas are a little less represented. 

In the funding area of Adapting to the Impacts of Climate Change, the most important topics are 

• Ecosystem-based Adaptation (EbA), 
• Nature-based Solutions (NbS), as well as 
• Land Use and Agriculture. 

In the funding area of Preserving and Restoring Natural Carbon Sinks, the focus is on 

• Forest Landscape Restoration (FLR), 
• Financing of Reforestation, 
• Sustainable Production, including Conflict Management, and 
• Deforestation-free Agricultural Supply Chains.

In the funding area of Conserving Biological Diversity (Biodiversity and Marine Protection) the main topics are 

• Management of Protected Areas, 
• EbA/Ecosystem Restoration, NBSAPs, 
• Support for Indigenous Peoples and Community Conserved Areas and Territories (ICCAs), and 
• Biodiversity Financing. 

Strengthening bilateral cooperation Through the IKI Country Call Colombia

Colombia was one of the first three countries with which the IKI prepared and implemented country calls in 2017/18.

The new Country Call Colombia 2024 was published on May 29th, 2024 and offers two thematic priorities to potential applicants:

• Roll-out of renewable energies and economic diversification for a just coal phase-out (BMWK)
• Landscape scale restoration as an economic and multifunctional nature-based solution for peace (BMUV)

Partnership for Climate and a Just Energy Transition

In June 2023, Colombia and Germany signed an Alliance for the Climate and a Just Energy Transition and launched it in October 2023. From the German side, along with the IKI ministries (Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK), Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection (BMUV), and Federal Foreign Office (AA)), the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) is also a partner. The most important topics are:

• Mitigation: Support for the participatory implementation of Colombia’s roadmap for a just energy transition.
• Adaptation: Sustainable and resilient urban development.
• Natural Carbon Sinks: Agriculture and food.
• Biodiversity and Marine Protection: Climate and biodiversity financing, protection, and sustainable use of biodiversity and environment.