Climate Change, Forests and Environmental Institutionality

Abstract

Global change must be understood from the perspective of forests, strategic ecosystems that could help mitigate the impacts of climate change — all the more so in a country like Colombia, so vulnerable to alterations in the water cycle. The agricultural, livestock, and mining "locomotives," while representing major development opportunities, also pose considerable environmental risk, as seen in the case of the Orinoquia region. Colombia has relatively strong environmental institutions to face global change and combat environmental destruction in the country; however, a firm environmental movement is needed, capable of demanding their consolidation and remaining alert so that the progress achieved so far is not eroded.