On July 13, 2023, the Colombian Minister of the Environment and Sustainable Development, Susana Muhamad, announced a significant (29.1%) reduction in the deforestation rates in 2022 as compared to 2021. The Ministry’s Institute of Hydrology, Meteorology and Environmental Studies released official data here.
Reporting in La Nacion highlights that this data shows this is the lowest level of deforestation since 2013 and opens the way for possible results-based payments from a Joint Declaration of Intent between the Governments of the Republic of Colombia, the Kingdom of Norway, the Federal Republic of Germany and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland on the Cooperation on reducing greenhouse gas emissions from deforestation and forest degradation (REDD+) and on promoting sustainable development in Colombia.
Importantly, the data indicates that the Amazonian region of Colombia had the largest reductions. The La Nacion article states that GCF Task Force member jurisdiction, Caquetá “was the department with the greatest reduction in deforestation in the country, going from about 38,390 ha to 19,200 ha.”
The government presentation indicates these results have been achieved through multiple efforts, including community forestry and social agreements with communities, regional climate factors, the inclusion of the deforestation issue in the peace dialogues, and the prioritization of areas for integrated action.