Comprehensive Sectoral Human Rights Impact Assessment of the Mining Sector in Colombia

INTRODUCTION

This Comprehensive Sectoral Impact Assessment (EISI) focuses on the mining sector in Colombia, particularly on the situations occurring in contexts of coal, gold, and construction materials mining that affect the enjoyment and exercise of human rights.

What sets the EISI apart from other available approaches to assessing human rights impacts is its broad and inclusive perspective throughout all stages of the process: from gathering information through multiple sources, to identifying stakeholders, and analyzing the underlying factors that help explain the presence of such impacts.

This assessment has been made possible thanks to the generous support of the Embassies of the Kingdom of Norway, the United Kingdom, the Kingdom of the Netherlands, and the Mining and Energy Planning Unit (UPME).

With the support of:

OTHER
DOCUMENTS

GEO EISI

English versions

Working Sector

Report from the meeting with workers and trade unions

Testimony from workers and trade unions

Closures and multi-stakeholder dialogue

Full document

Executive summary

Transitional minerals

The rapid expansion of critical minerals for the energy transition and other strategic industries (agriculture, defense, technology) presents us with a paradox: the decarbonization of the planet depends on an intensification of mining activity. For CREER, this rapid expansion carries critical risks regarding human rights, local economic dynamics, and ecosystem balance. Our work focuses on analyzing these dilemmas through the lens of a just transition, promoting governance frameworks that mitigate negative impacts and ensure that the mining of “minerals for the future” is carried out under rigorous standards of sustainability, equity, and respect for fundamental rights, through dialogue among different stakeholders.

Energy Communities

We analyze the governance and sustainability challenges that arise in the implementation of decentralized generation models. Our work focuses on researching how local associative structures interact with regulatory frameworks and human rights standards. Through applied research, we assess the risks of rent capture, internal decision-making conflicts, and the conditions necessary for these self-management schemes to guarantee equitable and transparent participation in the territory.

Solar

With a focus on responsible land management and respect for local livelihoods, at CREER we apply our technical expertise in the photovoltaic sector to promote a solar transition with social integrity. Through the analysis of rural environments, the strengthening of local governance, and the design of participation mechanisms, we seek to ensure that large-scale deployment in Latin America not only contributes to the energy mix, but also strengthens the social fabric. Our purpose is to lead due diligence models that ensure solar infrastructure coexists with food security, strategic ecosystems, and the productive vocations of each community.

Resources for Territorial Planning

Peacebuilding, Citizen Participation, and Human Rights

Transformative Perspectives for a Just Energy Transition