Policy Incoherence and Deforestation in Colombia

This policy brief by the Stockholm Environment Institute examines the drivers of deforestation in Colombia and the coherence of the policies designed to combat it. Using a framework based on ideas, institutions, and interests, the authors analyze how conflicting economic goals, institutional weaknesses, and the influence of powerful mining and agricultural interests hinder environmental progress. The brief highlights a significant gap between national conservation goals and the rights of local peasant communities, specifically citing the negative impacts of military-led enforcement strategies.

• Colombia experienced significant forest loss between 2002 and 2023, losing 1.99 million hectares of primary forest and 5.3 million hectares of total forest cover.
• The Colombian government has set specific environmental targets for 2030 within its national development plan, including the containment of deforestation and the restoration of 750,000 hectares of lost ecosystems.
• An analysis of 600 interactions between 25 public policies, SDGs, and climate goals in Colombia found that most are positive, with 63% (378) acting as promoters and only 8% (48) resulting in trade-offs.
• Current Colombian mining legislation (Law 685 of 2001) is identified as a primary source of policy incoherence, as it conflicts with other environmental objectives and restricts several other policies.
• Operation Artemisa, a military strategy launched in 2019 to stop deforestation, has been criticized for criminalizing peasant farmers and violating agreements intended to reconcile conservation with the rights of marginalized communities.
• Policy incoherence in Colombia is driven by a combination of political agendas, institutional weaknesses, and the influence of powerful interests in the mining and agricultural sectors, which often prioritize economic benefits over environmental protection.
• Coordination between government agencies is low, and financial resources are unequally distributed, with the environment and scientific research sectors receiving the fewest resources.

APA

Stockholm Environment Institute (2024). Policy Incoherence and Deforestation in Colombia. https://www.sei.org/publications/policy-incoherence-deforestation-colombia/

Chicago

Stockholm Environment Institute. Policy Incoherence and Deforestation in Colombia. 2024. https://www.sei.org/publications/policy-incoherence-deforestation-colombia/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Stockholm Environment Institute |title=Policy Incoherence and Deforestation in Colombia |date=2 December 2024 |url=https://www.sei.org/publications/policy-incoherence-deforestation-colombia/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{stockholmenvironmentinstitute2024policy, author = {{Stockholm Environment Institute}}, title = {{Policy Incoherence and Deforestation in Colombia}}, institution = {Stockholm Environment Institute}, year = {2024}, month = dec, url = {https://www.sei.org/publications/policy-incoherence-deforestation-colombia/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }