Faced with dwindling oil reserves, Columbian politicians are worried about energy security and state funds. The country is looking into whether it will allow fracking if it’s ‘sustainable’ – ignoring the possibility of expanding renewables instead, says Rebecca Bertram. Colombia has long been a thorn in the side of those fighting global warming due to its global coal production. With its 5.4 trillion tons of proven coal reserves, the country is the world’s fourth largest coal exporter, after Australia, Indonesia and Russia. Now, Columbia’s climate activists are increasingly focusing on a new environmental challenge: fracking. Frack the future In May of this year, the Colombian House of Representatives approved the President’s National Development Plan, a four-year plan that lays out the government’s policies. Much to activists’ dismay, this includes a measure that allows for the country’s Energy Ministry to begin studying whether fracking offers a realistic promise for Colombia’s energy future. The plan calls for the government to define pilot projects and identify zones where this unconventional oil and gas extraction will be authorized. At … Continue reading Is ‘sustainable fracking’ Columbia’s energy future?