The Nature Conservancy. Protecting nature. Preserving life.™

The northern tropical Andes region is one of the most biologically diverse places on Earth. Comprising parts of Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia, this region is home to 20 percent of the planet’s biodiversity. 

To conserve this treasure in balance with rapid development, the Conservancy is working in Colombia with the Ministry of Environment and partners to improve environmental licensing and mitigation strategies for mega-project development. 

As a result of this work, the Ministry of Environment is considering legislation to incorporate stronger measures to reduce environmental impacts into its licensing process for siting terrestrial, freshwater, and marine infrastructure projects—impacting gas, coal, mining, roads, transportation, and harbor development. 

For the first time, companies would be required under law to avoid, minimize, and compensate for impacts to wildlife in accordance with an explicit science-based framework. This change in the licensing process should drive both a significant increase in, and more effective use of, funding for supporting healthy natural systems across Colombia.

The Conservancy is now beginning to replicate this innovative approach across multiple countries in Latin America.