Partnership for Climate and Just Energy Transition

The Climate and Just Energy Transition Partnership is the most important high-level political and technical management body between Colombia and Germany for the advance and promotion of climate and energy management in both countries. It was established through a joint Declaration of Intent signed in 2023 by both governments for the implementation of actions in the thematic areas of: 1) just energy transition, 2) climate protection, 3) conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity and the environment, 4) sustainable and resilient urban development, 5) climate and biodiversity financing.

It is the main framework for cooperation on climate and environmental issues between the two countries, fosters dialogue on climate and energy policies; strengthens and broadens support along the lines of the thematic areas; promotes cooperation with the private sector, civil society and the scientific community; and encourages participation and access for vulnerable groups in the just energy transition.

Objetivo de la Alianza

Ambos países tienen la intención de acoger los marcos internacionales de clima, biodiversidad y desarrollo sostenible, con aspiraciones más ambiciosas y continuando los esfuerzos conjuntos definidos en el marco de esta Alianza. De esta manera se busca cumplir los objetivos a largo plazo de la Convención Marco de las Naciones Unidas sobre el Cambio Climático (CMNUCC) y del Acuerdo de París, en particular limitar el aumento de la temperatura media global a 1,5°C, así como los objetivos del del Convenio sobre Diversidad Biológica (CDB), del Marco Mundial de Biodiversidad Kunming-Montreal y la Agenda 2030 para el Desarrollo Sostenible de las Naciones Unidas.

Su objetivo es contribuir en la implementación de las NDC (Contribuciones Nacionalmente Determinadas) en el marco del Acuerdo de París, en promover una transición energética justa y en fortalecer los Planes de Acción de Biodiversidad dentro de un contexto orientado en una paz integral y duradera.

Estructura y miembros

Esta alianza está conformada por representantes de Ministerios de Colombia y Ministerios de Alemania, cinco grupos temáticos, representantes de agencias de la cooperación técnica (GIZ) y la cooperación financiera (KfW), así como actores de la sociedad civil, el sector privado y la academia que se encuentran vinculados a la promoción del desarrollo económico y ambiental de Colombia y Alemania.

Partnership for Climate and JET organization chart

Grupos de trabajo

Los grupos internos de trabajo son un espacio común creado para el intercambio de información y experiencias para mejorar la coordinación de la cooperación bilateral en cada una de las cinco áreas temáticas definidas.

At COP28 in Dubai the world made it clear: the age of fossil fuels is over. To achieve international climate goals and free ourselves from restrictive dependencies, the world’s economies must switch from fossil fuels to renewable energy. However, this massive transformation will only succeed if it is inclusive, participatory and benefits the population.

Based on its own experiences with the energy transition, Germany supports Colombia on issues such as the design of coal mine closure processes, the expansion of renewable energies and the construction of a national green hydrogen industry. Both sides can benefit from the exchange of ideas on these topics.

Colombia and Germany have taken ambitious leadership roles both in international climate negotiations and in their national climate policies. To strengthen this leadership, they are promoting tools and exchanging spaces for negotiations, as well as for the updating and implementation of the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). In this way, the institutional architecture for climate change management and the better involvement of different sectors of the population are also being strengthened.

The crises of climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution are intrinsically connected and require integrated solutions. It is therefore essential to conserve, restore and sustainably use terrestrial and marine species and ecosystems.

Colombia, as President of COP16 of the Convention on Biological Diversity, along with Germany, seek to advance the concrete implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, including the sustainable management of natural resources and the strengthening of synergies of climate change and biodiversity actions.

Sustainable and resilient urban development requires articulated efforts for cities to contribute to the development of policies and implementation of low-carbon and climate-resilient actions. Special attention is given to the development of sustainable urban infrastructure, the promotion of climate-friendly mobility and the development of urban waste management and recycling.

Measures in other sectors such as energy supply and urban water management also make an important contribution to this thematic area.

Incentives and instruments to finance actions for biodiversity protection and climate change mitigation are essential. Also, it is important to support the efforts of the Colombian and German parties to make existing regional and international funding mechanisms more efficient and transparent.