BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) — Colombia ’s outgoing environment minister warned Friday that the incoming government could reverse recent climate and conservation gains, pointing to its support for fracking and fossil fuel development and what she described as climate skepticism among some officials.In an interview with The Associated Press, Environment Minister Irene Vélez Torres said she fears Colombia could lose ground on climate action at a time when the country is already confronting increasingly severe environmental challenges, including El Nino, a naturally occurring climate phenomenon that can disrupt rainfall patterns and trigger droughts, floods and extreme heat.“Arriving with an attitude of climate denialism is absolutely dangerous,” Vélez said.
Colombian President-elect Abelardo de la Espriella, left, waves to supporters next to his wife Ana Lucia Pineda during a Mass in honor of Our Lady of the Rosary of Chiquinquira, in Chiquinquira, Colombia, July 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Fernando Vergara, File)
The comments come weeks before President-elect Abelardo de la Espriella takes office on Aug. 7 following a narrow election victory that marked a sharp political shift in Colombia after four years under President Gustavo Petro. The outgoing administration sought to position Colombia as a global leader on climate diplomacy, Amazon protection and a transition away from fossil fuels.During his campaign endorsed by U.S. President Donald Trump, de la Espriella pledged to revive Colombia’s oil sector, voiced support for fracking and argued the country should make greater use of its natural resources to spur economic growth. Environmental advocates and some Indigenous leaders have warned that greater emphasis on extractive industries could increase pressure on environmentally sensitive areas, including parts of the Amazon rainforest.
