On November 30, 2023, CREER presented the findings of its report “How to Avoid Running Before Learning to Walk: A Human Rights Perspective on the Tensions Between Energy Transition and Territorial Transformation” at an event held in Valledupar.
The event was attended by various public and private stakeholders from the department of Cesar and the national level, including the Cesar and La Guajira Peace and Development Program, the Valledupar Chamber of Commerce, the Alexander von Humboldt Institute, the Ministry of Labor, the International Labour Organization (ILO), social leaders, and representatives of incoming municipal administrations from several municipalities that make up the so-called “Corridor of Life in Cesar.”
Building on six years of collaborative work with local stakeholders—and particularly drawing from efforts between 2020 and 2023—CREER has explored, alongside communities in La Guajira and Cesar, what is needed to transform these territories and foster new life and employment alternatives in the context of the energy transition, beyond the closure of coal mining activities.
The major challenge lies in involving all possible actors—central government, local authorities, oversight bodies, companies, coal-importing countries, and civil society—in joint efforts to make the energy transition a State policy and ensure a comprehensive response to the changes ahead. Only then can we speak of a truly just transition.
Energy transition plans typically extend beyond the timeframe of National or Territorial Development Plans. Therefore, institutional planning must be long-term in nature, ensuring continuity in the efforts of diverse stakeholders. However, incoming local administrations will face the challenge of incorporating into their four-year mandates the findings and aspirations stemming from collective efforts such as the one presented by CREER during this event.
Throughout the day, working groups were held where participants engaged in dialogue and produced recommendations on cross-cutting themes such as productive transformation, workforce transition, and environmental governance.
To learn more, visit: https://creer-ihrb.org/transicion-energetica
La Primera Conferencia Internacional para la Transición más allá de los Combustibles Fósiles realizada en Santa Marta, dejó una conversación más realista sobre la transición energética.
The First International Conference for a Transition Beyond Fossil Fuels, held in Santa Marta, Colombia, resulted in a more pragmatic and realistic dialogue regarding the energy transition.
In a context where sustainable finance has primarily advanced along the environmental dimension, at CREER we make a clear call: There is no sustainable transition without human rights at the center of financial decision-making.
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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.
