Post-conflict countries (PCC) guide their priorities toward restoration of socioeconomic conditions and relegate sustainability objectives to the background. With the aim to provide insights for the current discussion on rural environmental sustainability in today's post-conflict Colombia, we analyzed the environmental dynamics of seven PCC. We found that (1) deforestation and land use conflicts were frequent impacts in both conflict and post-conflict scenarios, that (2) return of displaced population, the infectiveness of land use planning, and the dependence on the primary sector were frequent drivers of environmental change; and that (3) natural resources extraction tends to be intensified in post-conflict period. We discuss these findings in light of the current environmental problems of Colombia and the post-conflict environmental challenges. We conclude that in order to ensure environmental sustainability in post-conflict scenario, Colombia should act on structural aspects that go beyond the environmental objectives proposed in the peace agreement between the government and FARC: strengthening environmental institutions, integrating long-term environmental objectives across all sectors, and deintensifying the dependence of the economy in the extractive sector.
Heavy metals have become a subject of special concern worldwide, mainly due to high persistence in the environment, toxicity, biogeochemical recycling and ecological risk. Therefore, the objective of this investigation was to analyze the spatial-temporal distribution of heavy metals in water and sediments to determine the environmental status of El Guájaro Reservoir, where such studies have not been developed. Two measurement campaigns (dry and wet period) were carried out and eight sampling stations were selected. A comparison of water and sediment quality parameters with existing national and international regulations was done. Also, heavy metal distribution maps were generated, and the geoaccumulation index was calculated to identify sources and sediments contamination level. Based on the obtained results, agriculture and mining activities are the main causes of the reservoir contamination. This metals levels could be a potential risk for the aquatic life and the populations that are supplied from this water body.
Environmental objectives tend to receive a push to the background in post-conflict scenarios. On the other hand, the processes displacement and refugee's relocation in post-conflict countries have been associated with different environmental impacts. Currently, Colombia faces a post-conflict scenario, which brings about relevant socio-environmental challenges: it is a mega-biodiverse country, it has millions of displaced people and is one of the most inequitable country in the world. Since there is a gap in post-conflict studies regarding the exploration of victims' involvement in environmental strategies, this paper aims to analyze victims' willingness to participate (WP) in Land Recovery Strategies (LRS) in post-conflict Colombia. This research (1) describes the socio-economic characteristics of forced-displacement victims from a Caribbean municipality of Colombia; (2) analyzes the victims' WP in hypothetical LRS and their preferred type of participation in the project, (3) identifies the way of grouping victims according their WP. Finally, (4) it analyzes the kind of benefits victims would prefer to receive in exchange for their participation in the LRS. Our results made evident that the majority of the consulted victims are willing to participate in LRS by giving up manual work time or in exchange of local ecological knowledge. We also found that the victims' participation in LRS associates to the age of the respondents, and whether they have benefited from government programs previously. Victims would prefer monetary retribution in exchange for their involvement in LRS, which may be explained by their vulnerable socioeconomic conditions. This research also demonstrates that victims with positive WP in LRS are a heterogeneous group. We highlight the need of actively involving women in LRS and other post-conflict projects in order to ensure their wellbeing. The results of this research are valuable, because they put forward the population of victims as an active performer within environmental sustainability.
Variation of Nitrogen mineralization (Nm) and its relationship to physicochemical factors in soils of an irrigation district in the North of Colombia was evaluated. Physicochemical parameters were measured in topsoil (0–30 cm) samples taken from 22 points in agricultural lands (10 in the dry season, 12 in the wet season). Nm was estimated from organic matter (OM) content. Soil parameters in the study area are suitable for crop development, although they present variations between the dry and wet season, where the soil pH varies of slightly acidic to neutral and the OM content decreases. Additionally, in the dry season there was a positive correlation with pH, OM and C/N ratio and, during wet season between OM, sand, clay and bulk density. In both seasons, a negative correlation between silt and Nm was common. Environmental and soil conditions in the study area are favourable for Nm because during the dry season the accumulation of OM is favoured. Understanding how physicochemical factors influence Nm is essential for agricultural activities and the development of sustainable ecosystem services. Keywords: N transformation, Physicochemical properties, Physicochemical interactions
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