Today, more than half of the world’s population lives in urban areas, and this number continues to grow—driven by both natural population increase and rural-to-urban migration. In Colombia and other Latin American countries, urbanization is in constant transformation, not only due to the ongoing development of real estate projects, but also because of the expansion of informal settlements, urban poverty belts, and the resulting sprawl of cities. In this context, land use and urban planning instruments are essential tools for managing and guiding these dynamics, responding to the public interest, and promoting balanced development that ensures the best possible living conditions for the population.
Through these instruments, local governments and planning agencies define the future of housing and urban development, and they must ensure that the necessary conditions are in place for people to enjoy a full and dignified life. This includes guaranteeing access to basic services such as sanitation, drinking water, and electricity; the availability of efficient public transportation and green spaces; conditions of accessibility and adequate habitability; the location of housing in areas free from natural hazards; legal security of tenure; and access to housing for vulnerable populations. In general, these are the conditions that enable the effective enjoyment of human rights.
One of the main challenges for public policy agendas lies in overcoming the structural barriers that have historically undermined equity and equality in cities and other built environments. These include obstacles imposed by the financial sector on access to housing, as well as speculation, corruption, land hoarding, and political interests—issues that have long involved both public and private sector actors. Governments, along with real estate developers, urbanization consortia, and leading companies in the built environment sector, must work together to meet the needs of a constantly growing urban population.
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Report from the meeting with workers and trade unions
Testimony from workers and trade unions
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.
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.
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.
