Understanding and overcoming policy (in)coherence to control deforestation in Colombia

1. Introduction

Since 2020, the authors have analysed deforestation and related policies in Colombia as part of ongoing research in several countries to determine whether these policies work together to combat deforestation, and if not, to identify the underlying obstacles. The brief’s results are described in more detail in the full case study report and several related scientific articles (Cárdenas-Vélez & Lobos-Alva, Unpublished manuscript; Shawoo et al., 2022) and book chapters (Cárdenas-Vélez & Lobos-Alva, 2023). More information on this research can be found on the program website.

Deforestation is a lens through which policy coherence and social challenges can be analysed, as it hinders sustainable development, fuels social conflict and exacerbates inequality. Colombia struggles to balance trade-offs between economic, social and environmental goals. This conflict contributes to inconsistencies in policy formulation and implementation, which can hinder progress toward achieving deforestation reduction goals.

The country’s diverse ecosystems, including the Amazon rainforest and the Andean cloud forests, have been under threat due to agricultural expansion, illegal logging, mining and infrastructure development. From 2002 to 2023 Colombia lost 1.99 million hectares of primary forest, and lost 5.30 million hectares of total forest cover (GFW, 2024).

The 2030 Agenda considers deforestation as one of the crucial issues we need to manage to achieve sustainable development, under Goal 15: “protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss”. Failure to address deforestation jeopardizes the achievement of the SDGs and climate-related goals. Between 2013 and 2020, increases in deforestation in Colombia accounted for 1.24 gigatons of CO₂. The need to steeply reduce these emissions lies at the heart of the country’s nationally determined contribution under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. In terms of the SDGs, the current national development plan has two fundamental environmental goals: contain deforestation and restore 750 000 ha of lost ecosystems by 2030. To support these goals, the government has continued ongoing efforts to address deforestation, including implementing policies and initiatives to protect forests, promote sustainable land use practices, and involve local communities in conservation efforts. These efforts have yielded mixed results.

This brief aims to highlight the how actors can collaborate to implement successful strategies to combat deforestation, promote sustainable land use and foster economic development. It also identifies roadblocks preventing partnerships, knowledge-sharing and concerted efforts to tackle this complex issue.