Fishing Communities and Offshore Mining and Energy Projects: A Perspective from Biodiversity and Human Rights

Organised by CREER, the panel aims to focus on representing the voices of communities impacted by human rights and biodiversity issues due to offshore projects. This includes current operations and anticipated future projects in the context of a just energy transition in various regions of the Colombian Caribbean, particularly in the wind energy sector. Experiences from civil society organisations dealing with these issues globally, such as Norway and the UK, will be shared to provide insights for the Colombian case.

Colombian coasts include departments like Atlántico, Bolívar, Córdoba, La Guajira, and Magdalena, where offshore gas projects by companies like Ecopetrol, Shell, and Petrobras have led to perceptions among nearby fishing communities of significant impacts on their ecosystems, economies, and ways of life, such as declines in fish resources, water pollution, and the use of maritime areas with cultural significance.

The panel will discuss how the participation of fishing communities (with their specific needs) could be considered in the licensing processes for such projects and how they can engage in actions for biodiversity protection and human rights defence, especially concerning potential impacts from offshore wind projects proposed as part of the energy transition agenda in the Colombian Caribbean.

Speakers

• Yenilin Lubo, Youth leader, Wayuu lipuana
• Héctor Contreras, Executive Director, Casa Mangle Foundation
• Frances House, Senior Advisor, Institute for Human Rights and Business (IHRB)
• Therese Jebsen, Senior Advisor and Director of the Human Rights Program, RAFTO Foundation

This is an invitation-only event. If you are interested in attending please contact Frances House.