Our work in Colombia

What we do and why

Today, Colombia is taking steps in transitioning from extractives-based energy to renewable energy production with the creation of self-governed energy communities. Under the country’s current institutional framework, there are high aspirations for connecting those currently living off the grid, offering opportunities for clean energy jobs, and improving access to energy for rural and urban areas alike. However, further work remains in aligning incentives that allow citizens, local governments and companies to work together towards better results. A political economy analysis we conducted and conversations with dozens of people in Colombia showed significant potential to support local coalitions amid this energy transition. 

Over the next three years, we are supporting various coalitions of actors to develop and lead the implementation of a shared vision of sustainable energy access and use for development on the road to a just energy transition. We are connecting actors doing good work to work collectively around common goals, rather than in isolation. We are generating evidence, attracting resources and elevating local narratives to ensure the implementation of energy transition policies at scale and in a sustainable manner. 

Over time, our ultimate goal is to increase voice and engagement of local communities in governance of energy transition as part of local development visions.

How we act across the system

Functioning as an incubator of ideas for governance action and reform, we provide flexible support and resources to local coalitions as they build trust, create a unified vision, and agree on the operational details necessary to achieve that vision. Our support is adapted to the diverse cultural contexts of Colombia and based on the idea that both the process and the results must be fair. We work across the system at three levels.

1.  Together with communities seeking justice through access to reliable and affordable energy, we support the emergence of local coalitions to advance community development, sowing the seeds for long-term system change in governance:

• In Colombia’s Mining Corridor, we are supporting leaders to advance labor conversion of mining workers towards the green energy sector.
• We are supporting the generation of social and economic benefits by communities using energy as an engine to promote development.
• With partners across the country we are developing and testing ways to deliver social methodologies and capacity building to deliver the support that communities need.
• With our network of partners, we are facilitating learning exchange and collaboration for increased impact.

2.  Among Energy communities, support organizations, private sector, government agencies, and donors we broker connections to enable collective action and learning:

• Peer-to-peer learning, strategic study tours and capturing and disseminating narratives of change.
• Generating and disseminating evidence to inform policy design and implementation
• Critical conversations to improve programming and mobilization of resources

3. In Colombia and at the global level, we elevate local narratives from the most affected people towards regional and global spaces to inspire global diplomacy.

Aligning incentives and building coalitions isn’t easy, considering the limitations of the participatory approaches and the impact of this on local communities in the past, the diversity of perspectives held among different actors, and the lack of trust between many of them, particularly in communities which have felt abandoned by the state. Yet, as a program interested in supporting sustainable changes rather than short-term solutions, we continually seek opportunities to connect local champions across the system, building trust and shifting behaviors in the long run.

Our working mapping of actors from different sectors, organized by the themes discussed with them. Last updated: July 2024.

How we contribute to change across the system

As part of our systems approach in Colombia, we

• Identify feasible entry points with potential for impact: We study existing settlements, incentives and behaviors to identify how actors behave and where change might be possible, developing working hypotheses based on an understanding of power, incentives, norms, and traditions.
• Facilitate coalitions with communities at the center: We promote collective action among actors with aligned incentives so that they seize new opportunities to transform energy governance and change lives through a transition out of fossil fuels, with communities suffering from energy poverty at the center. Equity and trust are front and center.
• Nurture systemic changes: We connect actors, convene innovative dialogues and add value through our relationships, our methods and our focus on impact across the system. We also connect local actors, and support the transfer of experiences as we seek impact at scale.

We see our role as a facilitator, a supporter of audacious local efforts, a liaison across the system and promoter of a network of allies to support initiatives with potential for impact. Ultimately, we believe that the experiences in Colombia can help drive global discussions on the energy transition and inclusive governance models.

The journey through the system

Thus far, in Colombia the Governance Action Hub has traveled a path full of learnings and achievements. From the validation of hypotheses through political economy analysis to testing and refining the hypothesis in a visit to several territories and communities, to listening workshops to identify challenges and potential innovative solutions in communities in La Guajira and Barranquilla, we have worked to promote our theme: inclusive governance in the Just Energy Transition.

On our journey, we’ve been consulting with actors involved in various projects, from electric fields in urban areas to labor transition in the mining corridor. Each meeting has provided valuable insights and stories of potential impact that have allowed us to adjust and improve our strategies, ensuring that our interventions are relevant and effective.

Through experimentation and integration of innovations, we are learning that collaboration and complementarity between local and global actors are essential to increasing our knowledge about governance and what works where. In systems where individual actors are motivated by donor priorities, upward reporting, and competition for resources, our role as a connector that brings value to individual parts has been important.

Our goal is to continue strengthening local coalitions, facilitating participatory spaces and promoting the use of evidence and data for decision making. We are committed to continuing to support communities on their path towards better governance, less corruption and better social development outcomes.

Locally led governance efforts

In the La Guajira region, with financial support from the Royal Academy of Engineers’ Engineering X program, our first pilot focuses on the sustainability of energy communities. With partners at the University of La Guajira, the Semillero de Transición Energética at the Universidad de Magdalena, IPSE, and Consultores SER, we are conducting hands-on learning sessions to level capacities. Sessions cover the application of systems thinking, tools to work in an effective and agile way, monitoring and learning mechanisms, technical issues of renewable energy and lessons for working with Wayúu communities.

Further activities are under development, including preparations for a regional workshop to launch a coalition of allies in La Guajira who have an interest in supporting energy communities, and tailored accompaniment to two communities in Uríbia.