The first edition of Dialogues for Transformation, an initiative led by CREER, took place on April 11 in Bogotá, featuring a conversation on “Just Energy Transition in Cesar and La Guajira.”
The event brought together prominent voices from both departments, including Amylkar Acosta, former Minister of Mines and Energy; Amaury Padilla, Director of the Cesar Peace and Development Program; Fabrina Acosta, Director of the association Evas y Adanes; Betty Martínez, Director of Diario del Norte; and Weildler Guerra, anthropologist and former governor of La Guajira. The conversation also included representatives from national authorities, academia, think tanks, and companies from the mining and energy sectors.
Moderated by journalist Juanita León, Director of La Silla Vacía, the two-hour discussion addressed issues such as the importance of building a shared vision of development and transition with communities, the meaning of justice in this process, the relevance of accessible information for decision-making, the territorial nature of the transition, and the need for local governance frameworks.
In remarks on territorial perspectives, Weildler Guerra invoked the principle of “Nothing about us, without us” to stress the need to recognize the relationship between Indigenous communities and their land, and the implications of intervening in those territories. He and others called for the adoption of ethnic, gender, and territorial approaches to ensure an inclusive and equitable dialogue.
References to the concept of “Just Transition” underscored the need to delve deeper into its meaning, given its context-dependent nature. Participants emphasized that the justice and success of the transition are shaped by communities’ relationships with their territories, as well as the objectives of local governments. The importance of meaningful participation by local authorities in energy transition discussions—and their role in defending territorial governance—was a key takeaway.
Another central point that drew consensus was the concern about misinformation related to energy transition projects and the risk this poses for generating polarization in the territories. According to Betty Martínez, this is a particularly serious challenge for local communities—especially Indigenous communities—who must exert extra effort to access reliable information. She also noted that gaining information from companies remains especially difficult. The problem lies not only in access, but also in the ability to understand and engage with the information meaningfully.
CREER’s invitation with this space was to pause and reflect on what equitable pathways for the region might look like—leaving no one behind, and embracing the multidimensional nature of a just energy transition by including all stakeholders in the territory.
CREER will continue to bring the Dialogues for Transformation strategy to other regions of the country, facilitating conversations around pressing and diverse public agendas.
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.
