New analysis reveals the immense opportunity to protect forests, Indigenous territories, and key coastal areas from fossil fuel expansion and underscores the importance of financial solutions
October 24, 2024 (Cali, Colombia) — As the world looks to Colombia as the host of Biodiversity COP 16, it is an opportunity to spotlight what President Petro’s commitment to end fossil fuel expansion means for the future of the tens of millions of hectares of lands and waters that currently have oil and gas blocks that overlap them.
New analysis by Earth Insight titled Colombia’s commitment to stop fossil fuel expansion: From oil and gas threats to solutions: What is at stake and what is the opportunity (in Spanish and in English) reveals the benefits to nature and communities if the commitment holds and the threats if it doesn’t. In total, 64 million hectares or 52% of oil and gas blocks are still unassigned and if these blocks are permanently removed, it will represent a truly historic step for the protection of nature and indigenous territories. See map infographic here. This analysis comes on the heels of Earth Insight’s latest research, also released at COP16, illustrating the extent of oil and gas concession overlap with hundreds of Key Biodiversity Areas (KBAs) in the Amazon basin and other vital ecosystems in the pan-tropics.
Forests
Oil and gas threatens over 22 million hectares, or 34%, of Colombian tropical forests, an area comparable to the size of Finland. Nearly 12 million hectares of threatened forests are within the Amazon. Currently, less than 1 million hectares of tropical forest are under production blocks and 2.5 million hectares are under exploration blocks. 15.4 million hectares of threatened forest is under unassigned blocks and the final 4 million hectares of threatened forest is under shelved blocks.
Indigenous Peoples, Local Communities, and Afro-Descendants
13.7 million hectares of recognized and documented Indigenous peoples, local communities, and Afro-descendent lands intersect with oil and gas blocks, primarily along the Pacific coast and in the Amazon. Currently a third of IPs, LCs, and ADs lands are under oil and gas blocks. Less than 1 million hectares of this overlap is with production or exploration blocks. The threat to IPs, LCs, and ADs and their lands is largely a future threat that depends on the development of blocks that are currently unassigned since 11.4 million hectares, or approximately 28%, of all Colombian IPs, LCs, and ADs lands are under unassigned areas that could be licensed for future oil and gas exploration or production.
Marine Ecosystems
Colombia’s oil and gas blocks pose a particular threat to marine ecosystems since they currently cover over 65 million hectares or 91% of Colombia’s offshore territory. 28.5 million hectares of Colombia’s offshore oil and gas blocks are currently unassigned, 4.1 million hectares are in the exploration phase, and approximately 80,000 hectares of blocks are in production. The rest of the blocks were shelved, but may come back as available unless they are shelved permanently.
Note: The status of the blocks are defined as follows (i) Production blocks are blocks licensed for oil and gas extraction; (ii) Exploration blocks are blocks licensed for locating potential drilling site; (iii) Unassigned blocks have not been licensed to a company for extraction or production; (iv) Shelved blocks are previously mapped blocks that have been removed from the 2024 Mapa de Tierras.
The Critical Importance of Financial Support
As a nation with significant oil reserves that is also charting a fossil fuel phase out and no-expansion pathway, it is vital for Colombia to be supported in its pioneering position by the international community and key for innovative financial mechanisms and resources to be harnessed.
Colombia is currently proposing a $40 billion investment plan to transition away from fossil-fuels. The investment would go into activities like nature-based solutions, payments for ecosystem services, debt relief, community-based finance, and financing for bioeconomy solutions. Other financial measures could include, shifting subsidies and financing away from extractive sectors, backed by legal frameworks to uphold primary forest conservation and Indigenous management and restoration.
Additional Quotes Available for Media Use
- Juan Carlos Lozada, Colombian Parliamentarian, member of Parliamentarians for a Fossil Fuel Free Future.
“We recognise Colombia as a world leader in the fight against climate change and the protection of biodiversity. However, it has yet to translate that momentum into concrete action for the country. This report presents a unique opportunity for the government to address both crises and stop oil and gas exploitation in critical biodiversity areas for good. Especially, the Amazon is the planetary commons that all governments should protect and our government can start there, I am sure the international community understands the grave situation facing the world's largest rainforest and would be willing to support a definitive exit from the industry in the biome.”
- Juan Pablo Osornio, Engagement Director, Earth Insight
“The scale of Colombia’s commitment to end fossil fuel expansion is immense. and truly meaningful for the future of forests, Indigenous and local community lands, marine and coastal ecosystems. If other countries in the Amazon region and beyond were to take steps in this same direction, there would be a groundswell of momentum on the road to COP 30 that would get us closer to keeping warming to 1.5 degrees.’
- Jose Antonio Mendez, Secretary of the Amazon Regional Bureau, MRA (OPIAC - Colombian Indigenous Federation)
“Indigenous peoples in Colombia and the Western Amazon and beyond face truly alarming threats to our territories and cultural survival from fossil fuel and industrial expansion. President Petro’s commitment is a global reference point that all country leaders should be following and is an example of how nature, climate, and human rights priorities are all interwoven.”
- Andres Gomez, Coordinator for Latin America and the Caribbean, Fossil Fuel Non Proliferation Treaty
“Making the Amazon a fossil fuel-free zone is one of several steps needed to preserve the integrity of this vital ecosystem, crucial for global climate and the survival of the Indigenous peoples who protect it. This would also be a pioneering initiative, aligned with the Colombian government's strong support for the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty. What Colombia can do today could prompt similar action from Global North countries, who would be responsible for financially backing these initiatives, focused on life-centered and just economic models.”
- Emma Torres, vice-president for the Americas and Head of the New York office of the Sustainable Development Solutions Network
“The international community has a unique opportunity to step up and support Colombia’s amazing commitment on ending fossil fuel expansion. This is a model for countries in the Amazon basin region and all over the world.”
Press and Media Contacts:
Remote: Ziona Eyob, press@earth-insight.org (Pacific Time)
On-site: Juan Pablo Osornio, Engagement Director, juan-pablo.eu@earth-insight.org, +49 151 45400582
On-site: Florencia Librizzi, Program Director, florencia@earth-insight.org, +1 571-319-6365
About Earth Insight
Earth Insight builds critical transparency tools and momentum for restricting fossil fuel, mining, and other industrial expansion threats to key ecosystems and Indigenous and local communities. Our research, communications, and engagement work is central to supporting policy interventions that key political and financial actors can make to protect critical ecosystems as a vital step towards addressing both the biodiversity and climate crises.
About OPIAC
The National Organization of Indigenous Peoples of the Colombian Amazon (OPIAC) is a non-profit public law institution of special indigenous nature, which provides political representation for Indigenous peoples of the Colombian Amazon at national and international institutions. Its main objective is to ensure that all the collective and individual rights of its members are respected and recognized by all actors in the Colombian Amazon region.
About Fossil Fuel Non Proliferation Treaty
The Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty Initiative is a global effort to foster international cooperation to accelerate a transition to renewable energy for everyone, end the expansion of coal, oil and gas, and equitably phase out existing production in keeping with what science shows is needed to address the climate crisis. It builds on decades of calls and campaigns for a fossil fuel phase out and fair energy transition by government, civil society, Indigenous, grassroots and other leaders - particularly from the Global South.
About Parliamentarians for a Fossil Fuel Free Future
Parliamentarians for a Fossil-Free Future is a network of over 800 MPs in 96 countries calling to phase out fossil fuels and fast-track the energy transition. MPs worldwide are calling for governments to enable a full, fast, fair, and funded phaseout of coal, oil, and gas in order to keep within the 1.5 degrees Celsius threshold.
About Sustainable Development Solutions Network
The UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) works under the auspices of the UN Secretary-General to mobilize the world’s universities, think tanks, and national laboratories for action on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Paris Agreement; empower societies through free online education; and translate scientific evidence and ideas into solutions and accountability.