POLÍTICAS NACIONALES QUE FOMENTAN CLIMATE POLICY IMPLEMENTATION CHECK EN COLOMBIA EN LA GENERACIÓN ELÉCTRICA LA ENTRADA DE RENOVABLES Y LA SALIDA DE LOS COMBUSTIBLES FÓSILES COLOMBIA

This report by Transforma evaluates the implementation of Colombian national policies aimed at integrating non-conventional renewable energy sources (FNCER) and phasing out fossil fuels in electricity generation. Using the 'Implementation Check' methodology from Climate Transparency, the document analyzes key legislation, including Law 1715 of 2014 and Law 2169 of 2021, finding that while legal frameworks are strong, overall implementation is rated as 'medium' due to gaps in execution, social conflicts, and a lack of alignment between international commitments and national plans.

• The 'Implementation Check' evaluation of Law 1715 of 2014 and Law 2169 of 2021 resulted in a 'MEDIUM' rating for both. While the legal status of these laws is considered 'strong' because they are binding national norms, there are deficiencies in resources and oversight. For Law 1715, there is no specific state budget allocation, though funds are managed through FENOGE and FONENERGÍA.
• Colombia has significantly failed to meet its installed capacity targets for non-conventional renewable energy sources (FNCER). The 2018-2022 National Development Plan aimed for 1,500 MW by 2022 but achieved only 297 MW (20%). The 2022-2026 plan targets 2,297 MW, while President Gustavo Petro has expressed a goal of 6 GW by 2026.
• The implementation of FNCER projects faces a critical 'bottleneck' due to social conflicts and a lack of active community participation. Local populations, particularly in La Guajira, fear that renewable energy projects will replicate the 'extractivist model' of fossil fuels, which historically led to violence, environmental damage, and inequality.
• The legal framework for renewable energy auctions was severely impacted on September 17, 2023, when the decree enabling these auctions was declared null. This decision, based on concerns regarding free market competition, prevents the calling of new renewable energy auctions and creates uncertainty for existing and announced contracts, such as offshore wind auctions.
• Colombia's energy matrix remains heavily dependent on fossil fuels, which represented 75% of the primary energy matrix in a modeled 'announced policies' scenario. As of 2021, the primary energy matrix consisted of oil (43%), natural gas (23%), hydro (13%), and coal (10%).
• There is a strategic contradiction regarding the role of natural gas. While the government has joined the Beyond Oil and Gas Alliance (BOGA) and the 'COP 26' scenario of the Just Energy Transition roadmap suggests dismantling gas for domestic use starting in 2023, the National Development Plan (Law 2294 of 2023) aims to increase gas coverage to 1.5 million new users.
• Colombia has committed to phasing out coal-fired power plants, joining the Powering Past Coal Alliance (PPCA) in September 2023. According to the Ministry of Mines and Energy's Just Energy Transition roadmap, coal is expected to exit the electricity generation industry by 2035 due to rising carbon tax costs and the expiration of firm energy obligations.
• The report identifies a sectoral imbalance in Colombia's Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) targets. Although the energy sector is responsible for 31% of greenhouse gas emissions, its mitigation measures only account for 12-17% of the NDC, while the AFOLU sector (Agriculture, Forestry and Other Land Use) is assigned 66% of the responsibility.

APA

Mersmann, F., Wegner, S., Horn, J., Caceres, G. P. F., Velásquez, Á. D. P., & Restrepo, G. A. P. (2023). POLÍTICAS NACIONALES QUE FOMENTAN CLIMATE POLICY IMPLEMENTATION CHECK EN COLOMBIA EN LA GENERACIÓN ELÉCTRICA LA ENTRADA DE RENOVABLES Y LA SALIDA DE LOS COMBUSTIBLES FÓSILES COLOMBIA. Transforma. https://transforma.global/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/20231120-Narrativa-BGP2-ES-VIS.pdf

Chicago

Mersmann, Florian, Sebastian Wegner, Julia Horn, Gian Piero Fava Caceres, Álvaro Daniel Pinzón Velásquez, and Giovanni Andres Pabon Restrepo. POLÍTICAS NACIONALES QUE FOMENTAN CLIMATE POLICY IMPLEMENTATION CHECK EN COLOMBIA EN LA GENERACIÓN ELÉCTRICA LA ENTRADA DE RENOVABLES Y LA SALIDA DE LOS COMBUSTIBLES FÓSILES COLOMBIA. Transforma, 2023. https://transforma.global/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/20231120-Narrativa-BGP2-ES-VIS.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Mersmann |first1=Florian |last2=Wegner |first2=Sebastian |last3=Horn |first3=Julia |last4=Caceres |first4=Gian Piero Fava |last5=Velásquez |first5=Álvaro Daniel Pinzón |last6=Restrepo |first6=Giovanni Andres Pabon |title=POLÍTICAS NACIONALES QUE FOMENTAN CLIMATE POLICY IMPLEMENTATION CHECK EN COLOMBIA EN LA GENERACIÓN ELÉCTRICA LA ENTRADA DE RENOVABLES Y LA SALIDA DE LOS COMBUSTIBLES FÓSILES COLOMBIA |publisher=Transforma |date=November 2023 |url=https://transforma.global/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/20231120-Narrativa-BGP2-ES-VIS.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{mersmann2023polticas, author = {Mersmann, Florian and Wegner, Sebastian and Horn, Julia and Caceres, Gian Piero Fava and Velásquez, Álvaro Daniel Pinzón and Restrepo, Giovanni Andres Pabon}, title = {{POLÍTICAS NACIONALES QUE FOMENTAN CLIMATE POLICY IMPLEMENTATION CHECK EN COLOMBIA EN LA GENERACIÓN ELÉCTRICA LA ENTRADA DE RENOVABLES Y LA SALIDA DE LOS COMBUSTIBLES FÓSILES COLOMBIA}}, institution = {Transforma}, year = {2023}, month = nov, url = {https://transforma.global/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/20231120-Narrativa-BGP2-ES-VIS.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }