Although Colombia generates only 0.37% of world GEG, climate change is a priority issue for the Government, and must be addressed urgently. Colombia is highly vulnerable to the effects of climate change, and sees GEG emissions as a direct risk to its possibilities of sustainable development.

In Colombia, both the mitigation of climate change (lower GEG emissions), and adaptation to their effects are priorities in the National Environmental Policy.

The most important public policy tools for climate change in Colombia are:

• Low-carbon development strategy
• National Plan for  Adaptation to Climate Change
• The National Strategy REDD+ (reduction of emissions due to deforestation and forest degradation avoided)
• The financial strategy to reduce the fiscal vulnerability of the State to the occurrence of a natural disaster

In international negotiations, Colombia has distinguished itself by constructive and ambitious positions, which facilitate the positive course of negotiations under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCC). Colombia has defended a position that secures the greatest possible environmental integrity. For this purpose, Colombia has held that all States should contribute to the solution of climate change to the extent of their national capacities. For this purpose, it is a priority in Colombian foreign policy to secure a legally-binding agreement in 2015 to replace the Kyoto Protocol as of 2020, as an instrument applicable to all States Party to the Convention and include binding commitments for all of them.

In the context of negotiations of the Framework Colombia, is a party to the Association of Independent Latin America and the Caribbean States -AILAC. This formal negotiating group was created in December 2012, and includes the following six countries with like-minded positions: Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Panama and Peru. Further, Colombia founded and is part of the informal group of highly vulnerable countries and of the Dialogue of Cartagena for Progressive Action.

The next Conference of the Parties to the seat he convention (COP20) will take place in on 1-12 and 22 December 2014, in Lima, Peru.

Related documents:

ABC of international negotiations for climate change

Colombia in international negotiations of climate change

The following are some of the international conventions, protocols, international organizations and initiatives of which Colombia is part:

• United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. (UNFCCC)
• The Kyoto Protocol of UNFCCC
• The Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer
• The Montréal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer
• The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)
• The World Meteorological Organization (WMO)
• Global Research Alliance on agricultural greenhouse gases
• Euroclima
• Regional Dialogue on Climate Change Financing In Latin America