Caquetá became the center of international environmental talks this week by hosting the 16th Annual GCF Task Force Meeting. The event brings together subnational government representatives from 11 countries to discuss conservation strategies, bioeconomy and tropical forest protection, following commitments from COP30.
Caquetá Governor and GCF Assembly President Luis Francisco Ruíz Aguilar stressed during the opening the need for climate policies tailored to each region. “When there is no institutional coordination, we will surely be poised to fail,” he said, adding that projects must respond to local conditions.
Tolima Governor Adriana Magali Matiz noted that regions have gained prominence in climate discussions. “For decades the major conversations about climate took place far from the territories,” she said, and warned of risks from a possible El Niño phenomenon.
Other Amazonian leaders from Putumayo and Guainía emphasized sustainable tourism and removing intermediaries to strengthen resources. The GCF network currently groups 45 subnational governments and aims to consolidate cooperation on deforestation reduction and climate finance.