University Corporation of the Coast (Colombia) UniCosta points to sustainable development issues with conferences by President Iván Duque
For the University of the Coast, it is important to be linked to the study and analysis of issues related to the impact of climate change in Colombia and the main challenges in the Anthropocene era, where the country aspires to reach 2030 by reducing greenhouse gases by 51%. greenhouse effect.
That is why Professor Iván Duque Márquez (President of the Republic of Colombia from 2018 to 2022) in the framework of two webinar spaces led by UniCosta, addressed the progress that has been achieved to date in the country against this world problem.
The former president unveiled some of the concepts raised in his book ‘El Camino a Cero’, in which he explains Colombia’s strategy to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. Likewise, he made reference to the relevance of facing the current climate crisis through mechanisms to solve different problems, based on innovation for sustainability.
Duque’s interventions had a holistic approach, where issues related to the importance of the conservation of underwater life, terrestrial ecosystems, the protection of rivers and seas and the need to establish strong strategic alliances were addressed.
“We are in the presence of a professional who was president of Colombia and who was participating in government decision-making at the highest level. Not all universities can count on lecturers who have been in command of a country at this level of decisions. In addition, he has written several books on the subject of climate change, equity, on the future of Colombia, and has represented the nation in some of the most important scenarios that have taken place worldwide in recent years on issues of change. climate and sustainable development. An example of this was the COP26 Climate Summit in Glasgow”.
This was stated by Celene Milanes Batista, director of UniCosta’s Doctorate and Master’s in Sustainable Development, who also highlighted that our university and its postgraduate academic programs are designed to generate spaces for reflection, and, therefore, the opinions that are provided in these spaces constitute important elements of discussion between teachers and students.
Regarding the questions that generated the greatest interest among the participants, there were those focused on identifying how Colombia could occupy a regional leadership in Latin America in terms of clean, sustainable and just energy transition, and the analysis of the department of Atlántico where they are developed. progress of the biodiversity model proposed by Barranquilla with its commitment to the construction of the Ecopark in the Ciénaga de Mallorquín.
It should be noted that these webinars had the participation of more than 800 connected people, among whom were full-time academics, managers, administrators, and undergraduate and graduate students, professionals, and members of civil society from all over Colombia and several Latin American countries. , which confirms that environmental issues are beneficial to all types of public.