Inside Colombia’s New 2035 Climate Plan: What You Need to Know

Colombia's 2025 NDC shifts to an absolute emissions limit for 2035, targeting between 155 and 161 million metric tons of CO2 equivalent. The plan emphasizes 'Peace with Nature' to reduce deforestation, a just transition away from fossil fuels including a roadmap by 2029, and urban decarbonization through electric mobility and black carbon reduction. However, the transition faces challenges from economic dependence on oil and coal exports and upcoming 2026 elections.

• Colombia has transitioned its 2035 climate target to an absolute emissions limit, committing to keep emissions between 155 million and 161 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent. This target is lower than the 2030 emissions level established in the previous NDC, supporting a goal of net zero by 2050.
• The NDC establishes specific deforestation reduction targets: limiting the annual rate to 50,000 hectares by 2030 and further reducing it to between 37,500 and 49,999 hectares per year by 2035. Additionally, Colombia aims to protect 30% of its continental and marine territory by 2030.
• To transition from fossil fuels, Colombia has stopped signing new hydrocarbon exploration contracts and plans to publish a definitive exit roadmap by 2029. This strategy includes dismantling carbon-intensive subsidies and implementing a just labor transition for coal and oil workers.
• Colombia's energy sector remains a major emissions source, representing 31.5% of total emissions in 2022. The system is highly vulnerable to climate change; during El Niño events, reduced hydropower availability increases reliance on fossil fuel thermal plants, which accounted for 35.7% of electricity generation in 2024.
• Urban climate goals include deploying 600,000 electric vehicles by 2030 and reducing black carbon emissions by 40% by 2030 compared to 2014 levels (approximately 6,130 metric tons). The plan also targets the implementation of 15 thermal districts nationwide by 2040 to replace individual air-conditioning.
• The NDC identifies significant gaps in adaptation, including an annual funding shortfall of approximately 2 trillion Colombian pesos ($540 million), or 0.13% of GDP, to meet 2030 targets. It also notes that the 2012 National Adaptation Plan had limited impact on structural change.
• Colombia reports severe economic and social loss and damage, estimating annual economic losses from climate events at 4.03 trillion Colombian pesos ($1.1 billion). In 2023, climate-related events caused 351,000 new internal displacements.

APA

Donado, H. M. (2026). Inside Colombia’s New 2035 Climate Plan: What You Need to Know. World Resources Institute. https://www.wri.org/technical-perspectives/inside-colombia-climate-plan-2025-nationally-determined-contribution

Chicago

Donado, Héctor Miguel. Inside Colombia’s New 2035 Climate Plan: What You Need to Know. World Resources Institute, 2026. https://www.wri.org/technical-perspectives/inside-colombia-climate-plan-2025-nationally-determined-contribution.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Donado |first1=Héctor Miguel |title=Inside Colombia’s New 2035 Climate Plan: What You Need to Know |publisher=World Resources Institute |date=2 February 2026 |url=https://www.wri.org/technical-perspectives/inside-colombia-climate-plan-2025-nationally-determined-contribution |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{donado2026inside, author = {Donado, Héctor Miguel}, title = {{Inside Colombia’s New 2035 Climate Plan: What You Need to Know}}, institution = {World Resources Institute}, year = {2026}, month = feb, url = {https://www.wri.org/technical-perspectives/inside-colombia-climate-plan-2025-nationally-determined-contribution}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }