Cerrejón promotes an Encounter for exchanging Experiences on Environmental Compensations in Colombia

February 4, 2019. In Colombia and throughout the world, attention to sustainability is growing alongside the understanding of the linkages between companies, communities and environmental stewardship. For that reason, Cerrejón developed an Exchange of Experiences on Environmental Compensations (“Intercambio de Experiencias en Compensaciones Ambientales”) during which more than 40 people from different companies and entities such as ENEL, ISA, Fundación Natura, Argos, Contreebute, ANDI, The Nature Conservancy, the Universidad Nacional, among others, made a reflection about the stakes, challenges and opportunities for implementation of environmental compensation processes in the country.

In order to achieve effective ecosystem recovery and rehabilitation processes, it is very important the empowerment and commitment of all stakeholders present in the territory, including government, regional and national entities – which integrate the biological corridors to the regional preservation processes – and the regional autonomous corporation (“corporaciones autónomas regionales”) – which subsequently receive and manage the land plots subject matter of compensation. With the latter, contribution is made to the obtainment of a balance point – between species affected and those that return to the habitat – to maintaining ecosystems functionality, and to compliance with a long-term sustainability vision in the territories.

A biological corridor for La Guajira

As part of its environmental compensations plan, Cerrejón will contribute to the formation of a biological corridor that serves as connection between the Serranía del Perijá and Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta – in which the jaguar will move about as a main indicator of the recovery and restoration of the habitat as well as its preys – as well as the reforestation of 10,000,000 native trees.

Additionally, Cerrejón is contemplating the establishment of agreements with local indigenous and farming communities to promote sustainable forest rehabilitation whilst also promoting socio-economic gains in the communities through creating new opportunities to participate in environmental services.

For more information, please see our latest sustainability report.