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Environmental Democratisation in Post-War Colombia
Die Demokratisierung der Umweltpolitik im Nachkriegskolumbien
[working paper]
Corporate Editor
GIGA German Institute of Global and Area Studies - Leibniz-Institut für Globale und Regionale Studien, Institut für Lateinamerika-Studien
Abstract In 2004 a social movement for environmental democratisation began in Colombia in response to the exponential expansion of extractive activities and socio-environmental conflicts driven by policies designed to transform
Colombia into a mining country. The state's reaction to this mobilisation has be... view more
In 2004 a social movement for environmental democratisation began in Colombia in response to the exponential expansion of extractive activities and socio-environmental conflicts driven by policies designed to transform
Colombia into a mining country. The state's reaction to this mobilisation has been ambiguous, as it depends on the rents of extractive frontiers but is
also the guarantor of the Constitution and of the rights of its citizens. Colombia is entering a new era in 2016 by signing a peace agreement with the FARC rebel movement. After 50 years of violence and millions of people killed or displaced, this is an opportunity to end today's "longest civil war" worldwide. However, the need to generate revenue to fund the post-war reparation, restitution, and reintegration programmes and, more generally, to fulfil the demands
of global markets for minerals, energy, food, and materials puts great pressure on the rural areas where the v iolent conflict has concentrated. The presence of extractive industries in rural areas of peasant economies and
ethnic territories has exacerbated previously existing territorial conflicts largely driven by land use. Colombia reports the second-largest number of socio-environmental conflicts in the global Environmental Justice Atlas, and it ranks second in Latin America and third worldwide in the number of assassinations
of environmental and land activists. The activation of several democratic-participation mechanisms incorporated
into the Colombian Constitution of 1991 for environmental issues demonstrates the aspiration of marginalised groups to participate in the decision-making process regarding territorial planning, the use of resources, and the economic model, which all greatly influence socio-environmental conditions. Policy Implications: Encouraging environmental democratisation is indispensable for achieving environmental justice and a transition to peace in Colombia. The international
community could support this process by promoting higher standards, accountability,
and participation in environmental decision making; by bolstering the
Colombian state in its effort to redesign its revenue system from extractive industries to discourage highly destructive activities; and by promoting the smallscale, sustainable, rural economies that are at the core of the peace agreement.... view less
Keywords
natural resources; environmental behavior; ecological consequences; post-war period; environmental pollution; political conflict; peace process; resistance movement; mining; social movement; environmental consciousness; peace treaty; socioeconomic factors; shortage; political participation; domestic policy; Colombia
Classification
Ecology, Environment
Political Process, Elections, Political Sociology, Political Culture
Free Keywords
Umweltstandard
Document language
English
Publication Year
2016
City
Hamburg
Page/Pages
13 p.
Series
GIGA Focus Lateinamerika, 5
ISSN
1862-3573
Status
Published Version; reviewed
Licence
Creative Commons - Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works