Susana Muhamad, Colombia’s Environment Minister, has become one of the most prominent voices in the global fight against fossil fuels.
Her journey began in an unexpected place—working for Shell as a sustainability consultant. At 26, she joined the company, hoping to push for climate action from within.
However, she resigned in 2009 when Shell decided to invest in fracking, sparking her transition to a career dedicated to environmental politics.
Now 47, Muhamad is set to oversee the COP16 biodiversity summit in Cali, Colombia, next month.
She focuses on decarbonization and biodiversity protection, stressing that efforts to reduce carbon emissions are futile without preserving natural ecosystems, which absorb significant amounts of human-generated emissions.
Colombia pushes a fossil fuel phase-out, focusing on biodiversity as its future economic base.Under the leadership of President Gustavo Petro, Colombia is actively pursuing a ban on fracking and a phase-out of coal, oil, and gas.
Muhamad has been a key figure in pushing for these transitions and promoting biodiversity as a foundation for Colombia’s future economy.
Last year, Colombia became the first major fossil fuel producer to join an alliance for a global fossil fuel non-proliferation treaty.
Muhamad’s leadership is also symbolic of a broader shift in the global environmental movement.
Alongside figures like Mia Mottley, Barbados’ Prime Minister, Muhamad advocates for a “just transition,” ensuring that Indigenous communities and biodiversity are not sacrificed in the fight against climate change.
The upcoming summit is not just about global environmental policies; it’s deeply tied to Colombia’s path to peace.
Muhamad hopes to use the conference as an opportunity to promote both ecological preservation and peace within the country.