In recent years, Colombia has seen a clear setback in its overall performance in addressing climate change, despite government announcements and the designation of this issue as a priority. Various international measurements show that the country has fallen in environmental sustainability rankings, raising questions about the effectiveness of its climate policies and the strategic direction of its environmental management.
In the latest of these assessments, a report called the Climate Change Performance Index (CCPI), a monitoring tool that evaluates the performance of 63 countries and the European Union (EU) in mitigating climate change, confirms this. The analysis, published every year since 2005, seeks to “increase transparency in international climate policy and facilitate the comparison of each country’s efforts and progress in climate protection.”
This and other findings confirm that, despite international summits that seek to build global consensus to fight climate change, the national realities of most countries reveal the gap between the declarations of many of their leaders and the fact that greenhouse gas emissions remain sky-high.
Colombia plunges in global ranking for climate-change mitigation performance
With the release yesterday, Tuesday, Nov. 18, of the CCPI results for next year, 2026, it becomes clear that not a single country — Colombia included — ranks in the highest tier of performance in the fight against climate change.
The study, based on evaluations by more than 450 experts and environmental research centers, includes an overall ranking and the performance of states in the index’s four categories: Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions, which account for 40% of the score; Renewable Energy (20%); Energy Use (20%); and Climate Policy (20%).
Denmark continues to lead — once again — a list in which no country occupies the top spots that denote a “Very High” level of commitment to combating climate change. It is followed by the United Kingdom, Morocco, and Chile, the latter being the highest-ranked Latin American country.
To find Colombia, one must scroll down to 36th place, which represents a drop of nine positions compared with its standing in this same ranking for 2024. With a score of 54.45, the South American country falls into the “Low” category regarding its performance in mitigating climate change.
The study also shows that Colombia is one of the world’s major oil producers, meaning its polluting capacity is considered high.
In this regard, and based on the CCPI categories, in this latest edition the country ranked 47th in the Greenhouse Gas Emissions category, 45th in Renewable Energy, 10th in Energy Use, and 25th in Climate Policy.
Energy transition under pressure
What the study shows is that, beyond statements and good intentions, the energy transition in many countries — including Colombia — is being delayed in a context of both political and economic pressure.
Despite the efforts of Gustavo Petro’s government to gradually move away from oil — by denying licenses for new oilfield exploration — the sector has repeatedly expressed doubts about what it considers excessively rapid steps that jeopardize Colombia’s energy sovereignty.
Similarly, the conservative opposition has also voiced its discontent with the path that the current government announces — more than implements. All of this underscores the difficulties — not only for Colombia — in turning international declarations into reality and effectively moving toward a greener, more sustainable energy matrix, which is key to climate mitigation strategy.
Although the current outlook requires a profound rethink and concrete actions toward that energy transition, the lack of political consensus makes it impossible to advance on that path. The task is complex, but scientists warn that time is running out.
These same climatology experts warn of the consequences at a time when Brazil is entering the final stretch of COP30 on climate change, once again highlighting global difficulties in agreeing on financing for costly transitions. If we add to this the increasingly widespread denialist current — led by the Trump administration in the United States — the outlook is not exactly encouraging.
Regarding Colombia, this setback in international rankings is a wake-up call for all players: government, private sector, and civil society. Only with collective commitment and a coherent strategy will it be possible to regain lost momentum and move toward a more sustainable future, beyond announcements that never materialize.