IRI-Colombia participated in the 16th Annual Meeting of the Governors’ Climate and Forests Task Force (GCF Task Force), held in Florencia (Caquetá) from May 18 to 22, 2026.
Caquetá Governor Luis Francisco Ruiz Aguila hosted this important international gathering, which brought together governors and representatives from 11 countries with the goal of building a new forest economy that protects forests, restores degraded lands, and creates fair and sustainable jobs and economic opportunities throughout the tropics.
One of the highlights was a visit to the village of Agua Bonita, an area previously affected by armed conflict, where we were able to see firsthand conservation efforts, sustainable tourism, and community-based initiatives in support of the Amazon—all of which are driving a new forest-based economy in the region.
“Today we face an inescapable reality: the planet’s climate future will depend, to a large extent, on our collective ability to protect and restore the great tropical forests,” said IRI-Colombia Director Blanca Lucía Echeverry, who participated in the working session on the restoration of strategic ecosystems, which brought together experts from the government, indigenous peoples, local communities, industry, the private sector, academic institutions, and civil society.
Read the Spanish edition of the May 2026 IRI Bulletin here.
