Latest News

Wildfire reaches Iguaque sanctuary as more than 700 hectares of protected land burn

By The City Paper Staff - September 22, 2026

A wildfire that began on the hills above Colombia’s historic town of Villa de Leyva has spread into the Santuario de Fauna y Flora Iguaque, with more than 700 hectares of the protected area now affected and two fire fronts still active. The emergency, which began on September 19 in the La Castellana area and […]

Colombia’s ‘Miracle’ Chick Offers Hope for a Bird on the Brink

By Richard Emblin - September 3, 2026

In a country where the morning chorus can include more bird species than anywhere else on Earth, the arrival of one tiny chick carries an outsized significance. Named Milagro, or “Miracle,” the newly hatched blue-billed curassow (Crax alberti) represents more than a successful breeding effort. The female chick is a rare new generation of a […]

Oscar Pérez-Escobar: Mapping The Orchid Tree of Life

By Richard Emblin - September 6, 2025

Colombian botanist Oscar Alejandro Pérez-Escobar, Research Group Leader at Kew Gardens, leads the Orchid Tree of Life project, tracing the evolution of 30,000 orchid species. His research, published in New Phytologist, underscores orchids as “canaries in a coalmine,” vital for biodiversity, conservation, and understanding climate change.

Rasmussen Star: New Orchid Species Discovered in Colombia’s Sierra Nevada

By The City Paper Staff - June 7, 2025

Researchers in Colombia have discovered a new orchid species, Epidendrum Rasmussenii, in the cloud forests of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta. The endangered orchid highlights the region’s extraordinary biodiversity and the urgent need for conservation amid increasing deforestation.

What Indonesia’s Floating Solar Project can teach Colombia about a clean energy future

By Richard Emblin - May 26, 2025

The Cirata Reservoir project in Indonesia’s West Java offers a blueprint for Colombia’s renewable transition and regional cooperation with Southeast Asia. As the largest floating solar project in SouthEast Asia, Cirata is driving Indonesia toward a greener and sustainable future.

COP16 ends with urgent commitments to global conservation efforts

By Richard Emblin - November 1, 2024

COP16 concludes in Colombia, uniting global leaders and communities with a message of “Peace with Nature” and setting bold commitments for biodiversity and environmental conservation.

Colombia and Costa Rica seal Biodiversity Pact as COP16 enters final week

By The City Paper Staff - October 28, 2024

At COP16 in Cali, Colombia and Costa Rica announced a landmark fund to protect the Chocó Biogeographic Region, a vital biodiversity corridor spanning Central and South America.

The Mavecuri range in the Colombian Amazon

COP16: Empowering Indigenous communities with AI for biodiversity

By Richard Emblin - October 26, 2024

As Indigenous leaders gather for the First International Summit on Ancestral Knowledge and Artificial Intelligence in Colombia, a groundbreaking dialogue is unfolding between ancestral wisdom and advanced technology, setting the stage for innovative conservation efforts.

COP16: Colombia presents ambitious Biodiversity Action Plan

By The City Paper Staff - October 25, 2024

Colombia unveiled its 2030 biodiversity action plan at COP16, aiming to protect 34% of its territory, boost its bioeconomy, and strengthen protections for environmental defenders and ecosystems.

COP16: Colombia calls for Genetic “Sovereignty” and Global Fund to share Data

By The City Paper Staff - October 23, 2024

Colombia has proposed at the COP16 Summit in Cali, the creation of an international fund to ensure that the commercial benefits obtained from genetic information are shared with countries of origin, promoting the protection of biodiversity.

Greening our Oceans: COP16 and a case for a Sustainable Shipping Industry

By Pradeep Kurukulasuriya - October 23, 2024

Redirecting private investments through derisking strategies is crucial to making the shipping industry’s green transition equitable for the Global South, writes Pradeep Kurukulasuriya, Executive Secretary of the UNCDF from COP16 in Cali, Colombia.

COP16: Colombia launches “Water Police” to safeguard rivers and water sources

By The City Paper Staff - October 22, 2024

At the COP16 biodiversity summit in Cali, Colombia unveiled its new Water Police division, a specialized force tasked with safeguarding the country’s rivers, lakes, wetlands, and endangered watersheds.

COP16 Biodiversity Summit opens in Cali with focus on “Peace with Nature”

By Richard Emblin - October 21, 2024

Colombia has officially opened the 16th UN Biodiversity Conference (COP16) in Cali, welcoming delegates from nearly 200 countries. The summit, running from October 20 to November 1, centers on the theme “Peace with Nature” and addresses critical issues such as biodiversity protection, climate action, and economic sustainability.

Colombia recognizes Indigenous Peoples as Environmental Authorities ahead of COP16

By The City Paper Staff - October 16, 2024

President Gustavo Petro signed a decree granting indigenous communities environmental authority over their territories. The move comes as Colombia prepares for COP16, highlighting indigenous roles in biodiversity conservation and sustainable ecosystem management

Armored ‘Gladiators’ reach Cali to protect COP16 Biodiversity Summit

By The City Paper Staff - October 11, 2024

The city of Cali in southwestern Colombia is strengthening security for the COP16 biodiversity summit with the arrival of “Gladiator” armored vehicles, over 4,000 police officers, 1,700 soldiers, and special forces to protect 13,000 attendees of the global event.

FARC dissidents of “Iván Mordisco” announce ceasefire in Cali for COP16 Summit

By The City Paper Staff - October 10, 2024

The FARC dissidents under alias “Iván Mordisco” have declared a temporary ceasefire in Cali ahead of the COP16 biodiversity summit. The ceasefire, announced on social media, will take effect from October 11 to November 6, though the group has reserved its right to self-defense.