In Latin America—including countries like Colombia—the transition toward carbon neutrality is an urgent necessity, driven by global demand for cleaner energy and environmental sustainability. However, this transition is not only about closing coal mines and oil fields; it is also about ensuring that regions historically dependent on extractive industries can adapt to a future grounded in social equity, economic opportunity, and respect for human rights. As extractive activities decline, these regions face serious vulnerabilities: unemployment, poverty, and social instability.
At CREER, our work focuses on preparing these regions for the “transition out” of extractive industries. We believe a sustainable legacy must be built with—and from within—the extractive sector itself, in close collaboration with local communities and territories, and ultimately, for their benefit. To this end, we are committed to generating research and building collective knowledge, strengthening local capacities, and facilitating multi-stakeholder dialogue. By fostering collaboration for collective impact among all actors involved, we aim to build inclusive planning processes that empower local communities.
Through these efforts, we seek to ensure that the transition toward carbon neutrality is not just a challenge, but an opportunity for long-term sustainable development—one that respects the environment, human rights, and the social fabric of extractive regions across Latin America.
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In Latin America,
of the energy matrix still depends on fossil fuels. In countries like Venezuela, Mexico, and Colombia, fossil fuels account for up to
of public revenues. The extractive industries provide more than 2 million direct jobs, and decarbonization could affect over 5 million people—highlighting the urgent need for a well-planned energy transition to mitigate social and economic impacts.
Source: United Nations.
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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.
