Colombia readies energy transition roadmap

The Colombian government has begun a dialogue process with private companies, community groups and academics as it prepares a new energy transition roadmap.

The six-month process, launched during the COP27 climate summit in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, will provide a blueprint for government actions designed to wean the country off fossil fuels such as oil and coal. 

"The dialogue process ... will lead to establishing the path to be followed so that the country moves away from fossil fuels towards a productive economy that has renewable energies as a pillar," the mines and energy ministry said in a statement. 

It added that six workshops would be held over the period, in which all stakeholders and interest groups would be invited. 

The roadmap will be accompanied by a new manual that establishes guidelines for prior consultations with local communities and a draft regulatory framework designed to achieve a "fair energy transition."

The announcement comes as the government of President Gustavo Petro, who was sworn into office in August, seeks to fulfill a pre-election promise to end the country's reliance on oil, gas and coal while stepping up renewable energy investments.