Just back to Bogotá following a week in London with Colombia's soon-to-be Environment Minister, Sandra Bessudo. Sandra was in the UK to give a talk in Oxford at the Smith School on the Enterprise and Environment's 2011 World Forum on Biodiversity; and there were bilateral meetings with the British Government (Chris Huhne), former PM Tony Blair, and two brilliant members of the House of Lords, Nick Stern and Tony Giddens, whose work on climate change is well-known.
It was an excellent trip, and I hope and trust that much good will come out of it for the sake of the environment. In concrete terms, the best possible outcome would be the UK Government's decision to fund one or two serious projects in Colombia on low carbon growth, adaptation or REDD+ in the years ahead. This is what we are working to achieve: the political relationship between both countries on the issue is already strong.
As a Brit working for the Colombian Government, it was an unusual and enjoyable experience to represent Colombia in bilateral negotiations with the UK. Quite a few of our interlocutors were keen to understand my role, including Tony Blair, who now knows a small amount about Natalia and love being the cause of my being in Colombia.
After a week at home, I feel quite proud about all that the UK Government and academia are doing in the cause of climate change, biodiversity and so on. Imperfect though it may be, it does seem - objectively - that the UK is quite far ahead on a number of issues, not least in terms of its emissions reduction commitments and its recent public policy on natural capital.
As for Colombia, what is clear is that the country has the world to offer! An emerging middle income country; in the eyes of the Foreign Office, the most important country in Latin America after Brazil and Mexico; 50% forest cover; a low carbon growth plan under preparation; much to do on adaptation.
I hope these two countries continue to see eye to eye and that President Santos' state visit in November heralds a further strengthening of this partnership; watch this space...!
(p.s.: this article can be read in conjunction with an earlier reflection on the same issue, here)
