Brito Alto communities in Casanare protest Muérgana Sur drilling, meanwhile Ecopetrol’s Castilla Field workers support a caimán rescue. These and other environmental stories in our periodic summary.
The mining industry suffers from many of the same problems as hydrocarbons, and a group formed to encourage dialogue between different sectors of society on the mining industry presented its first results after working together to reach a consensus. We ask if it makes sense to think about the same for oil and gas.
The attack on the Transandino Pipeline (OTA) in June of this year has been labeled the worst in Colombia’s history due to the extensive environmental damage which occurred from the spilled oil. Four months on, the initial emergency measures are just now being concluded.
Oil-spill drills were carried out in Yopal and in Ecuador, meanwhile an actual oil spill and fire occurred after a tanker truck went off the road in Aguazul. These and other environmental stories in our periodic summary.
The Ministry of Environment (MinAmbiente) held its account rendering session for the year, and defined ambitious goals for reductions in greenhouse gases and expanding the amount of protected areas in Colombia, among other initiatives.
The Tumaco Department continues to suffer from the affects of the historic oil spill in the Mira River, meanwhile a bill was ratified that would protect the country’s parámos. These and other environmental stories in our periodic summary.
In Putumayo, community and indigenous groups are pushing to keep oil out, citing its environmental effects and position as a Farc target, and also are calling to curb coca eradication programs. Coca production has brought better returns for the community than legitimate crops.
Eduardo Pizano, the president of Colombia’s Natural Gas Association, Naturgas, urged the government to speed up the process to issue environmental licenses for the production of Coal Bed Methane (CBM), which he said could provide an alternative source to increase the country’s gas reserves.
A national paper highlighted three examples in Colombia’s Caribbean coast of how hydrocarbons firms are both complying with environmental standards and engaging the community to create successful and positive social and ecological impacts.
The mayors of Ortega, Purificación and Melgar in Tolima joined to vent their shared concerns on royalty distribution and expedited environmental licenses issued by the National Environmental Licensing Agency (ANLA).
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