Colombia revokes Santurbán reserve extension to 2029

The Colombian Ministry of Environment has revoked a previous resolution that extended the temporary natural resource reserve of Santurbán until March 2029. Under the new decision, the reserve's validity is reduced by two years, remaining in effect only until March 2027.

The reserve covers more than 75,000 hectares in the Santurbán massif, a strategic territory for the water supply of millions of residents. The Ministry stated it is working on a progressive delimitation of the paramo complex in compliance with the Constitutional Court's Sentence T-361 of 2017.

This change in duration will be communicated to the National Mining Agency, as it modifies the period during which restrictions on new mining projects apply to the area. The Committee for the Defense of Water and the Santurbán Paramo has rejected the decision, questioning the government for withdrawing protections established by the previous administration.