Nature-based solutions for climate change in Colombia
This report analyzes natural climate solutions in Colombia, assessing mitigation potential across avoided forest conversion, forest restoration, and silvopastoral systems. It highlights biodiversity, water, and social co‑benefits, identifies policy barriers and opportunities, and outlines recommendations to help Colombia meet ambitious national climate targets.
Subject Tags
- Natural climate solutions
- Forest
- Habitat restoration
- Policy
- Climate mitigation
- Carbon storage
- Biodiversity
- Watersheds
Overview
This report evaluates how natural climate solutions (NCS) can significantly reduce Colombia’s greenhouse gas emissions, especially within the AFOLU sector, which accounts for 62% of national emissions. It provides a national‑scale assessment of three priority NCS pathways—avoided forest conversion, forest restoration, and trees in agricultural lands (silvopastoral systems)—selected for their high mitigation potential, policy relevance, and data availability.
The analysis quantifies the maximum mitigation potential by 2030 for each pathway, identifies where these opportunities lie across Colombia’s five major regions (Amazon, Andes, Caribbean, Orinoco, Pacific), and evaluates co‑benefits for biodiversity, water resources, and social outcomes. The report also examines enabling conditions, barriers, and opportunities within Colombia’s policy and institutional landscape, including the National Carbon Tax, the Silvopastoral NAMA, and the emerging 2050 Climate Strategy.
Key findings show that the three NCS pathways together could contribute over half (52%) of Colombia’s updated 2020 NDC mitigation target, underscoring the importance of integrating NCS into national climate planning. The report concludes with recommendations to strengthen inter‑ministerial coordination, harmonize policies, improve land‑use planning, and expand incentives for restoration and sustainable livestock systems.