The changing politics of coal extraction in Colombia

The document analyzes the political economy of coal extraction in Colombia, noting that while production grew from 38 Mt in 2000 to 88.6 Mt in 2015, the sector now faces declining global demand and increasing domestic resistance. It details how opponents—including indigenous groups and municipal governments—have shifted from protests to using judicial mechanisms like the 'acción de tutela' and popular consultations to challenge mining titles. In response, the Colombian government and companies (such as Cerrejón and Drummond) have adopted new narratives, linking extraction to peace-building, increasing corporate social responsibility investments, and forming unified business associations like the Asociación Colombiana de Minería. The brief concludes that the sector's historically weak governance has become a liability, and a transition away from coal will require separating the mining sector from oil and gas in public discourse and developing alternative socio-economic pathways.

• Coal production in Colombia saw significant growth between 2000 and 2015, increasing from 38 million tonnes (Mt) to almost 89 Mt. By 2015, the sector accounted for approximately 12% of the country's exports and 1.3% of its gross domestic product (GDP).
• The economic benefits of large-scale mining are contested, with evidence suggesting that municipalities receiving high royalties did not show better social indicators in health, education, or infrastructure compared to those without royalties. Additionally, the sector has received substantial government support; in 2015, mining received 23.4% of all tax discounts provided to legal entities in Colombia.
• Opponents of coal mining have transitioned from traditional protest methods, such as strikes and blockades, to institutional and legal strategies. These include the use of 'acciones de tutela' to protect fundamental rights and popular consultations by municipal authorities to defy national mining plans.
• The Colombian Constitutional Court has become a central actor in mining governance, issuing over 50 rulings between 2010 and 2016. Notable decisions include the prohibition of mining in páramos, which affected more than 340 mining titles, and the striking down of a ban that prevented municipalities from blocking mining activities on their territory.
• To counter opposition, the national government and mining companies have shifted their public narrative. While they previously framed extraction as a 'development engine', they now emphasize the sector's role in financing peace-building and attempt to redirect criticism by highlighting the impacts of illegal mining.
• Mining companies have moved away from a 'low profile' enclave economy model toward active public relations and corporate social responsibility. For example, Drummond increased social investments from 2.6 billion pesos in 2010 to 3.3 billion pesos in 2015 and provided professional development grants for journalists in the Cesar Department.
• Incumbent actors have sought to strengthen their political influence by consolidating into the Asociación Colombiana de Minería (CMA) in 2014 and joining the World Coal Association. This allows the industry to speak with a unified voice and maintain a strategic association with the oil and gas sectors.

APA

Strambo, C., & Velasco, A. J. P. (2017). The changing politics of coal extraction in Colombia. Stockholm Environment Institute. https://www.sei.org/mediamanager/documents/Publications/SEI-DB-2017-The-changing-politics-of-coal.pdf

Chicago

Strambo, Claudia, and Angélica Johanna Puertas Velasco. The changing politics of coal extraction in Colombia. Stockholm Environment Institute, 2017. https://www.sei.org/mediamanager/documents/Publications/SEI-DB-2017-The-changing-politics-of-coal.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Strambo |first1=Claudia |last2=Velasco |first2=Angélica Johanna Puertas |title=The changing politics of coal extraction in Colombia |publisher=Stockholm Environment Institute |date=2017 |url=https://www.sei.org/mediamanager/documents/Publications/SEI-DB-2017-The-changing-politics-of-coal.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{strambo2017changing, author = {Strambo, Claudia and Velasco, Angélica Johanna Puertas}, title = {{The changing politics of coal extraction in Colombia}}, institution = {Stockholm Environment Institute}, year = {2017}, url = {https://www.sei.org/mediamanager/documents/Publications/SEI-DB-2017-The-changing-politics-of-coal.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }