Historic Milestone for This Amazonian Region

Colombia has declared its entire Amazon region a reserve for renewable natural resources, banning all new oil and large-scale mining projects across the vast biome that covers 42% of its territory.

“This declaration is an ethical and scientific commitment,” said Acting Environment Minister Irene Vélez Torres. “It seeks to prevent forest degradation, river contamination and biodiversity loss that threatens the continent’s climate balance.”

The measure halts 43 oil blocks and 286 pending mining applications and invites neighbouring Amazon countries to adopt similar protections. Presented during COP30 in Belém, Brazil, the decision marks a major step toward safeguarding one of Earth’s most vital ecosystems. Vélez Torres called the move both an act of environmental sovereignty and a call for regional unity: “The Amazon knows no borders, and its care requires us to move forward together.”