Sustainable Development in Fragile Ecosystems: Applying the Nexus Approach to the Orinoco River Basin in Colombia

The Orinoco River Basin in Colombia is experiencing rapid transformation due to increased public and private investment in oil extraction, industrial agriculture, and infrastructure. This development has led to significant ecosystem loss, including 32% of flooded savannahs over the last 20 years. To address these challenges, the Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) and the Alexander von Humboldt Institute (IavH) are proposing a "nexus" approach that analyzes the interdependencies between water, energy, food, and habitat security. This framework aims to replace fragmented planning with integrated decision-making to protect biodiversity and human systems. The proposed research will utilize participatory methods and software tools like LEAP and WEAP to inform national climate adaptation and biodiversity strategies.

• The Orinoco River Basin in Colombia is undergoing rapid economic transformation driven by oil extraction, industrial-scale agriculture, and infrastructure, which threatens its ecologically diverse landscapes.
• Significant environmental degradation has occurred in the Orinoquia region over the last 20 years, with an annual loss rate of 127 km2. Specifically, the region has lost 32% (1503 km2) of its flooded savannahs, 12% (412 km2) of forest, and 9% (616 km2) of high savannahs.
• The Orinoco Basin is a critical economic asset for Colombia, contributing 75% of the country's petroleum production.
• Water security in the Orinoco watershed is inextricably linked to food, energy, and habitat security, supporting 1.7 million people and providing the water necessary for maize, soybeans, rice, and palm oil production.
• SEI and IavH propose using a nexus framework combined with LEAP (Long-range Energy Alternatives Planning) and WEAP (Water Evaluation And Planning) software to integrate fragmented planning and inform Colombia's National Climate Adaptation Plan and National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans.

APA

Stockholm Environment Institute (2013). Sustainable Development in Fragile Ecosystems: Applying the Nexus Approach to the Orinoco River Basin in Colombia. https://www.sei.org/mediamanager/documents/Publications/SEI-DB-2013-Orinoco-nexus.pdf

Chicago

Stockholm Environment Institute. Sustainable Development in Fragile Ecosystems: Applying the Nexus Approach to the Orinoco River Basin in Colombia. 2013. https://www.sei.org/mediamanager/documents/Publications/SEI-DB-2013-Orinoco-nexus.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Stockholm Environment Institute |title=Sustainable Development in Fragile Ecosystems: Applying the Nexus Approach to the Orinoco River Basin in Colombia |date=2013 |url=https://www.sei.org/mediamanager/documents/Publications/SEI-DB-2013-Orinoco-nexus.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{stockholmenvironmentinstitute2013sustainable, author = {{Stockholm Environment Institute}}, title = {{Sustainable Development in Fragile Ecosystems: Applying the Nexus Approach to the Orinoco River Basin in Colombia}}, institution = {Stockholm Environment Institute}, year = {2013}, url = {https://www.sei.org/mediamanager/documents/Publications/SEI-DB-2013-Orinoco-nexus.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }