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Literaturangaben

"Environmental problems have always been part of our history, of life, and work. Yet the way in which environmental problems are perceived and politicized has changed: If it was at first chiefly local and regional environmental problems that were recognized, in recent years global environmental problems that have been a major cause of concern. Global problems can be tackled only by means of an internationally coordinated, global environmental policy, local and regional environmental policies have to be integrated into this context. Global environmental policy has meanwhile become a highly dynamic policy field. The first United Nations Conference on the Human Environment (Stockholm 1972) is generally regarded as its starting point. Since then a good number of environmental accords, both national and bilateral, but, in numerous cases, also multilateral and global, have been signed. The efforts undertaken thus far are, however, not comprehensive enough, and they do not appear to be sufficient. So there is still a wide policy-implementation gap between ongoing environmental degradation and the environmental agreements that have been agreed upon and the compliance record that can be noted for them. This skeptical balance is, however, not without some positive aspects on the credit side: Recent years have seen the negotiation of new global environmental conventions, and already existing accords have been specified through implementation protocols. However, further efforts are needed to mould effective regulatory instruments out of the given environmental agreements. Direct as well as indirect instruments should be used toward that end. Furthermore, it would be essential to start restructuring environmental policy within the United Nations system and to look into the feasibility of establishing a new World Environment and Development Organization." (excerpt)

In 2004 a social movement for environmental democratisation began in Colombia in response to the exponential expansion of extractive activities and socio-environmental conflicts driven by policies designed to transform
Colombia into a mining country. The state's reaction to this mobilisation has been ambiguous, as it depends on the rents of extractive frontiers but is
also the guarantor of the Constitution and of the rights of its citizens. Colombia is entering a new era in 2016 by signing a peace agreement with the FARC rebel movement. After 50 years of violence and millions of people killed or displaced, this is an opportunity to end today's "longest civil war" worldwide. However, the need to generate revenue to fund the post-war reparation, restitution, and reintegration programmes and, more generally, to fulfil the demands
of global markets for minerals, energy, food, and materials puts great pressure on the rural areas where the v iolent conflict has concentrated. The presence of extractive industries in rural areas of peasant economies and
ethnic territories has exacerbated previously existing territorial conflicts largely driven by land use. Colombia reports the second-largest number of socio-environmental conflicts in the global Environmental Justice Atlas, and it ranks second in Latin America and third worldwide in the number of assassinations
of environmental and land activists. The activation of several democratic-participation mechanisms incorporated
into the Colombian Constitution of 1991 for environmental issues demonstrates the aspiration of marginalised groups to participate in the decision-making process regarding territorial planning, the use of resources, and the economic model, which all greatly influence socio-environmental conditions. Policy Implications: Encouraging environmental democratisation is indispensable for achieving environmental justice and a transition to peace in Colombia. The international
community could support this process by promoting higher standards, accountability,
and participation in environmental decision making; by bolstering the
Colombian state in its effort to redesign its revenue system from extractive industries to discourage highly destructive activities; and by promoting the smallscale, sustainable, rural economies that are at the core of the peace agreement.