by Gabriela Pardo, 12th Grade

 

“We have to love mother Earth; we have to act to hug and protect her.” President Duque 

 

Thanks to different media and campaigns that we see often that speak about caring for the environment, our society is now aware of the environmental problem we have on this planet. Likewise, we have been made aware of various ways in which we can do our bit in our homes, workplaces, and many other spaces. There’s been a lot of progress on this, but what the government does to protect our planet is also important. This, as a people, concerns us and we need to make sure that our government is doing something for the environment in Colombia, and that our current president, Iván Duque, is making an effort to help the planet. 

 

La Ley de Acción Climática – Colombia’s environmental route 

 

On December 23, 2021 in the city of Bogotá, the Minister of Environment and Sustainable Development, Carlos Eduardo Correa, stated that the Climate Action Law sanctioned by President Iván Duque is intended to become the roadmap to achieve the environmental goals of the country. These include achieving carbon neutrality by 2050, reducing black carbon emissions by 40%, and reaching zero deforestation by 2030. 

 

Since environmental education is crucial for the care, protection, and conservation of Colombia’s natural wealth, this document establishes that it is one of the pillars for low-carbon development and climate perseverance. It also orders the sharing of sectoral and territorial advances in terms of adaptation and mitigation with the public through communication tools. 

 

This law also focuses on fighting against climate change by having at least 30% of the seas and continental areas protected, achieving the ecological restoration of at least one million hectares, implementing 100% of the management plans for coastal areas and of the integral territorial plans on this problem, among other actions to be developed.

 

Although much of this sounds like the solution to all the environmental problems in Colombia, very little of this plan has actually been developed.

 

Deforestation

 

As many of us know, deforestation is one of the biggest concerns around the world. For this reason, Colombia set out to reduce the rate of deforestation to 90% in the last two years. Last year, this number was reduced by 19%. The president also declared before the UN that farmers will be paid for environmental services and the protection of tropical forests.

 

Reforestation

 

In recent years, Colombia has planted more than 35 million trees out of a goal of 180 million to be planted by August 2022. “We have incorporated a vision of economic development based on the principle of producing while conserving, and conserving by producing,” said the president. This progress is very positive considering that trees are not only the homes of many species that are part of the beautiful biodiversity of the country, but also they clean the air and provide us with oxygen to breathe.

 

Energy Transition

 

Before the World Economic Forum, President Duque defined the approaches in terms of non-conventional renewable energies, works to mitigate climate impacts, protection of ecosystems, planting of trees, good business practices, and citizen access to environmental information. Thanks to this, measures would be established that will protect the environment while people have easy access to education and the environmental state of the country. 

 

Helping the Planet

 

Unfortunately, few environmental aid projects are actually taking place in the country. For this reason we must vote with great wisdom, to ensure that the State commits to being part of the process that seeks the well-being of the environment of our country. For our part, we must continue to do our bit, to try to combat the different problems, and try to give future generations a better world.

 

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