Environmental Jurisdiction for Indigenous Authorities

Natural Resources attorney María Paulina Rendón wrote an article for Lexir about the recent Decree 1275 of 2024, which grants special environmental jurisdiction to indigenous authorities. Ms.Rendón analyzes the implications of this regulation, which recognizes for the first time the ability of indigenous communities to issue environmental regulations that apply preferentially in their territories. The article highlights how this decree could fundamentally transform the legal, social and economic order in Colombia, especially in relation to natural resource exploitation projects. Additionally, it describes the challenges this regulation poses in terms of state sovereignty and the uniform application of law across the national territory.

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