The implementation of the peace agreements in Colombia is progressing at significant pace, bringing a 50-year conflict to a close. Just one of the benefits of a country at peace is the opportunity to protect the environment – a peace dividend that will not only benefit Colombians, but the whole planet.
Luis G. Murillo, Minister for Environment and Sustainable Development of Colombia, is leading government efforts to significantly increase the size of protected areas, as well as improving the conservation and use of biodiversity. Already, the government has almost doubled size of protected areas, from 13 million hectares in 2010, to 24 million hectares in 2016. By 2018, Colombia will have over 26 million hectares of protected areas; making it a world champion in this regard.
Protecting ecosystems such as the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, the Cruz Verde páramo, the Amazon, the Chiribiquete National Natural Park, among others, requires key partnerships and ambitious undertakings – and the UK has become one of Colombia’s most relevant allies in this endeavour.
Minister Murillo is visiting London to meet government authorities and discuss future partnerships. In this talk, he will discuss the challenges of implementing the National Climate Change Policy in Colombia, and encouraging low carbon, resilient development.
Minister Murillo is a Mining Engineer and holds a Master’s degree in Engineering Science. He was Governor of Chocó (in the Pacific) twice. He also served at the Phelps Stokes Fund as Senior Fellow and Vice President for Programs and Strategy. Before his appointment as Minister, he served as Director of the Pacific Initiative, a special presidential programme directed to boost social and economic development of the Pacific Region of Colombia.