Colombia remained one of the strongest economic performers in the Latin American region, with a GDP growth rate of 4.6% in 2014, slowing slightly to 3.1% in 201552. Colombia’s recent growth has mostly been generated in the energy and extractives industries, boosted by the global commodity boom. The increase in foreign investment and government revenues derived from energy extractives has led to economic expansion. However, concentrated growth and employment creation in these industries has also created high dependence on oil and gas and mining exports.

In this context, the Government of Colombia (GoC) wishes to develop a Green Growth Long-Term Policy that will drive new sources of growth, innovation and job creation and at the same time chart the way for the country to achieve its NDC and SDG commitments. This program will set green growth targets in a mid-term timeframe and enable these targets to be reflected in the next Development Plan for the 2018-2022 period.

For the first time in many years, Colombia has a real prospect for peace after decades of armed conflict. If a peace agreement is achieved, government expenditure would be injected in rural areas; most of which are abundant in natural capital in the form of forests, but devastated by the internal conflict. If not properly managed, this could lead to natural resource degradation and increased GHG emissions due to land use change. The GoC therefore needs to adopt and implement sound policies and investments to ensure that reduced deforestation targets are met and that long-term, socially inclusive and environmentally resource efficient growth occurs in marginal and impoverished areas.

GGGI’s Country Planning Framework for Colombia identifies mainstreaming of green growth into national development policies, mobilizing sectoral green growth investments, and sustainable forestry as the key areas of focus for GGGI in the medium term. In line with this, over the WPB 2015-16 period, GGGI supported the establishment of a payment-forperformance scheme to reduce deforestation in the Amazon. In partnership with the National Planning Department (NPD), GGGI began the process of mainstreaming green growth into Colombia’s National Development Plan by supporting the inclusion of sector-specific green growth targets in the current National Development Plan 2014–2018, as well as following up on policies and investments to meet them. In 2016, GGGI is supporting NPD in the diagnosis and green growth potential assessment phase of a Green Growth Task Force, which will bring together experts to assess priority issues and provide recommendations to be adopted in the Long-Term Green Growth policy during its formulation in 2017–2018.

In 2016, GGGI is also supporting Colombia on delivering on the Joint Declaration of Intent (DoI) with Norway to reduce GHG emissions through REDD+ by conducting design work to structure a Financial Mechanism and strengthening Colombian institutions to receive funding as part of the Financial Mechanism under the DoI. The 2017-18 WPB will continue to support the achievement of DoI milestones through policy and implementation support and the development of investment proposals to be submitted to the financing mechanism.

PROJECT OUTPUTS FOR 2017-18:

• Develop long term green growth policy and submit to Economic and Social Policy Council
• Develop at least 3 project proposals for upscaling of Amazon Vision program, taking into account gender and social inclusion aspects
• Develop and submit at least 4 sets of recommendations on policies and implementation measures to meet Policy milestones under Colombia’s Joint Declaration of Intent for reducing GHG through REDD+
• Document and share lessons on effective land-use policies and approaches to reduce deforestation
• Prepare design and financial proposal for 1 energy efficiency project

PROJECT OUTCOMES FOR 2017-18:

• Government adopts long term green growth policy and incorporates targets into the 2018-2022 National Development Plan
• Increased financing mobilized to reduce deforestation and GHG emissions in priority areas, through Amazon Vision and Colombia’s Joint Declaration of Intent

The intended outcomes of this project are that Colombia adopts and incorporates the green growth policy into national development planning, and that resources are mobilized toward reducing deforestation. GGGI will drive these outcomes through the delivering the following outputs:

Long term green growth policy developed and submitted. GGGI will provide strategic, operative, and technical support for a Green Growth Task Force (GGTF) that will deliver recommendations for and support the drafting of, the Green Growth policy. This will be done by supporting the assessment and technical validation of the recommendations to be submitted for consideration under the green growth policy and the investments required to achieve the long-term targets that these address. This includes supporting all relevant stakeholders in the preparation and validation of the draft green growth policy document, which will follow the Government´s protocols for ensuring sub-national and local participation. GGGI will also support the formulation of targets to integrate and align targets of the long-term green growth policy into the National Development Plan.

Amazon Vision Project Proposals developed. GGGI will conduct an assessment of intervention requirements and investments needs to fulfill the Amazon Vision program targets in two new areas, taking into account local realities, social inclusion and gender aspects. GGGI will identify jointly with local and regional key stockholders, national, sub national and local resources that can link to or leverage AV funds to scale up the Amazon Vision Program activities. Based on this assessment, GGGI will design and submit projects for financing in areas of interventions of the Putumayo and Meta Departments.

Recommendations on Colombia’s Joint Declaration of Intent on REDD+ developed and submitted. GGGI will support relevant government authorities responsible for specific Modality 1 (Policy Design and Implementation) milestones under the Joint Declaration of Intent (DoI) with Norway for reducing GHG emissions through REDD+ by assessing gaps and needs, and providing technical support to attain the corresponding policy milestones in 2017 and 2018. Potential partners and resources needed to ensure milestone achievement within the timeframe defined in the DoI will be identified and GGGI will prepare a work plan to carry out the activities needed to achieve the milestone, including consultation with local and regional stakeholders as necessary. GGGI will advise and propose options for attaining selected policy milestones agreed under the DoI and support the corresponding government agencies to adopt those and secure their completion. Support will also be provided on the reporting of the milestones achieved to the relevant governance bodies of the DoI as required.

Lessons on effective land use policies developed and submitted. GGGI will conduct a sectoral assessment on sustainable value chains to promote forest conservation and identify international best practices in sustainable value chain management and land-use practices among priority sub-sectors. Consolidated policy recommendations for effective land-use and sustainable agricultural production policy to reduce deforestation will be developed and shared.

Energy efficiency project design and proposal prepared. GGGI will design and develop a bankable project in energy efficiency for a project identified during the second half of 2016. GGGI will develop a concept note, confirm government support and engage with relevant stakeholders to develop a financing plan. Support will be provided on conducting the feasibility study, including advice on the financing structure.