The largest emitting sector in the Colombian economy is energy, which accounted for 53% of total GHG emissions (excluding LULUCF) in 2017. This sector includes emissions from fossil fuels in energy production, as Colombia is a major exporter of coal and oil.2,3 Combustion of liquid fuels in the transport sector is the main driver of energy-related emissions, accounting for 19% of the total. Agriculture is the second largest emitter, representing 29% of total emissions.
Despite the energy sector accounting for the largest share of total emissions, Colombia’s updated NDC makes a comparatively small mitigation pledge for this sector, excluding transport, aiming to cut emissions by 11.2 MtCO₂e by 2030.4
The majority of pledged mitigation actions relate to the LULUCF sector, focusing on land restoration (17 MtCO₂e reduction by 2030) and reducing deforestation (59 MtCO₂e reduction by 2030). The agriculture, forestry and land use (AFOLU) sectors together account for over 60% of total GHG emissions, with LULUCF accounting for around 28% of the total in 2014.1
13 Groot, K. de, Vega, C. B.- & Juarez-Lucas, A. Turning the Tide: Improving Water Security for Recovery and Sustainable Growth in Colombia. World Bank 36 (2020).
31 While global cost-effective pathways assessed by the IPCC Special Report 1.5°C provide useful guidance for an upper-limit of emissions trajectories for developed countries, they underestimate the feasible space for such countries to reach net zero earlier. The current generation of models tend to depend strongly on land-use sinks outside of currently developed countries and include fossil fuel use well beyond the time at which these could be phased out, compared to what is understood from bottom-up approaches. The scientific teams which provide these global pathways constantly improve the technologies represented in their models – and novel CDR technologies are now being included in new studies focused on deep mitigation scenarios meeting the Paris Agreement. A wide assessment database of these new scenarios is not yet available; thus, we rely on available scenarios which focus particularly on BECCS as a net-negative emission technology. Accordingly, we do not yet consider land-sector emissions (LULUCF) and other CDR approaches.
32 In some of the analysed pathways, the energy sector assumes already a certain amount of carbon dioxide removal technologies, in this case bioenergy carbon capture and storage (BECCS).
Colombiaʼs current GHG emissions
MtCO₂e/yr
Displayed values
By sector
Transport
Industry (energy use)
Other
Power
Buildings
Fugitive emissions
Agriculture
Waste
Industry (processes)
LULUCF
By gas
CO₂
CH₄
N₂O
Other
00
Sectors by gas
Energy
085%0
Agriculture
00
Industry (processes)
071%0
Energy system
Colombia’s energy sector still relies on fossil fuels, with oil, natural gas and coal accounting for approximately 37%, 35% and 10% of total primary energy in 2019, respectively.5 Hydropower, biofuels, and waste together account for the remaining 17%. Solar and wind play a marginal role, with a share of less than 0.1% in the energy mix.
Colombia is an oil, gas, and coal producer and a major fossil fuel exporter, which is an important source of revenue.22 In 2020, coal accounted for 13% of total exports. Coal plays a minor role in the power mix – at 6% of generation in 2020, but Colombia plans to expand its coal power generation capacity with an additional 1.6 GW in its pipeline.6-8
The country has the goal of adding an additional 1500 MW in renewable capacity by 2022.9 Since 2019, Colombia has had three renewable energy auctions to promote the use of non-hydro renewable energy in its grid. As a result of the latest auction, 11 new wind and solar generation projects were awarded, which will add 796 MW of installed capacity to the grid.10,11,14 Targets for non-hydro renewable power generation are particularly important, given that over 70% of Colombia’s power is already sourced from hydroelectricity, yet its hydrological resources are forecast to become much more variable and vulnerable due to climate change.12,13
Targets and commitments
Economy-wide targets
Target type
Fixed level target
NDC target
Unconditional NDC Target:
Absolute emissions limit of 167 MtCO₂e/yr in 2030 (incl. LULUCF); equivalent to a 51% reduction below BAU by 2030 (incl. LULUCF).14
161 MtCO₂e/yr (excl. LULUCF) by 2030; equivalent to an increase of 7% above 2015 emissions by 2030 (excl. LULUCF).
Market mechanism
Colombia is committed to achieving its targets on national territory and exploring market mechanisms under Art.6 and REDD+ projects in addition.
Long-term target
Long-term strategy submitted to the UNFCCC and is legally binding by domestic law since December 2021.
Sector coverage
EnergyIndustryWasteAgricultureLULUCF
Greenhouse gas coverage
CO₂CH₄NF₃HFCsN₂OSF₆
Sectoral targets
Energy
Mitigation measures in the energy sector with a potential of 11.2 MtCO₂e reduction by 2030 through a combination of increasing energy efficiency while reducing energy demand and fugitive emissions.15,16
Buildings
100% of new buildings constructed to meet new energy efficiency standards by 2026, continuing through 2030.15,18,19
LULUCF
Restore 963,000 hectares of degraded forested land by 2030.15
Reduce net deforestation of natural forest to 0 hectares/year by 2030, through the implementation of both policy tools and cooperative and market-based measures.20
Colombia signed the Glasgow Leaders Declaration on Forest and Land Use at COP26.
Power
Reaching 1500 MW of installed non-hydro renewable capacity by 2022, equivalent to roughly 9% of the electricity supply.9
Modernisation of the freight vehicle fleet of more than 10.5 tonnes gross vehicle weight and more than 20 years old, for the renewal of at least 57,000 vehicles.
Waste
Increase capture and use of biogas from waste streams.
Agriculture
Increase efficiency and intensification of livestock farming through silvo-pastoral systems.15