Environmental liabilities in Colombia: A critical review of current status and challenges for a megadiverse country

Abstract

Colombia is a megadiverse country, ranks fourth in plant species richness, fifth place in mammals, first place in birds, third place in reptiles, second place in amphibians, freshwater fish, and butterflies. Despite this richness, more than 1,000 species are at risk. Colombia is characterized by rich mineral and oil resources; however, resource exploitation has been developed in an inadequate way, which has led to extensive generation of environmental liabilities (EL) for centuries. Although the country has made relevant improvements in environmental management, it does not have a formal structure for the EL assessment and management. This research establishes the Colombian EL status, typology, and distribution. We identified a total of 223, and all Colombian departments are affected to a greater or lesser extent, except Quindío, Caquetá, Guaviare, and Vichada. Considering the sensitivity of this situation for Colombian environmental management, it is formulated recommendations for preventing and remedying the mining and oil/gas EL in Colombia. On the other hand, it is established a baseline for national surveillance of these.

Keywords

• Environmental liabilities
• Colombia
• Environmental management
• Typology
• Environmental damage
• Biodiversity