With the formal deposit of the instrument of ratification on December 25, 2024, the Colombian State undertook the commitment to strengthen environmental democracy and to implement binding standards on environmental human rights.
In this context, the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development – MADS, with technical support from the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean – CEPAL and the participation of an Interinstitutional Technical Working Group, prepared the first draft of the roadmap with the priority actions for the implementation of Articles 3 to 10 of the Escazú Agreement.
The document sets out a proposal of priority actions which, based on the principles of equality and non-discrimination, transparency, equitable and timely access to environmental information, meaningful public participation, accountability, prevention of environmental harm, and intergenerational justice, seeks to contribute to the guarantee of environmental justice and the strengthening of environmental democracy in Colombia.
On January 19, 2026, MADS announced the opening of the public consultation process for the definition of the roadmap, with the purpose of receiving comments, observations and input from the public, in line with the participatory nature of the Escazú Agreement.
Among the priority actions set out in the roadmap are: development of measures aimed at preventing serious and irreversible environmental harm through the incorporation of principles of equality, non-discrimination, prevention and distributive justice into land-use planning and territorial development instruments, as well as measures to strengthen transparency regarding the operations of private actors through the promotion of corporate environmental human rights due diligence instruments.
The proposal seeks to prevent any regression in the standards governing access to information, public participation and access to environmental justice, by strengthening existing mechanisms and protective environments for environmental human rights defenders, and by more robustly incorporating a human rights-based approach into environmental licensing processes, particularly with respect to access to information and public participation.
The roadmap also contemplates the consolidation of an Intersectoral Commission for the implementation of the Escazú Agreement, with clear procedures for public participation; the strengthening of environmental information systems, particularly the Environmental Information System of Colombia (SIAC) and information on pollutants and environmental liabilities; and the adoption of prior, broad, deliberative, informed, responsible and effective public participation mechanisms, in accordance with the standards of the Escazú Agreement and constitutional case law.
Finally, the roadmap includes actions aimed at improving the enforcement and compliance with environmental judicial and administrative decisions, as well as strengthening regional cooperation, with an emphasis on the exchange of environmental best practices.
This public consultation process for the definition of the roadmap is particularly relevant for project developers and investors, as it anticipates a heightened focus on transparency obligations, early and meaningful public participation, an environmental human rights-based approach, and access to information throughout project planning, environmental permitting and environmental management processes.
Comments, observations and suggestions on the roadmap may be submitted until February 19, 2026, through the following link.