Articulación Institucional para el Restablecimiento de la Vocación Socioeconómica, en el Marco del Cierre Minero, Corregimiento de la Loma, municipio de el Paso, Departamento del Cesar, 2020-2023

Abstract

Colombia faces substantial challenges in the context of the global energy transition toward decarbonization (Yanguas et al., 2021), which are exacerbated in areas highly dependent on coal mining, such as the La Loma district in El Paso, Cesar. With more than three decades of extractive activity, this area constitutes a paradigmatic case of territorial impact, highlighting a socioeconomic structure deeply influenced by mining and the resulting exclusion of other productive sectors. Given this scenario, this research addresses the issue from an institutional perspective, considering the impacts of the mining model on public finances and social cohesion, in a context of declining global demand for coal and international commitments to reduce emissions. Weak institutional coordination is identified to address the effects of mine closure, which raises the need for comprehensive strategies aimed at local economic recovery. The theoretical proposal is based on economic institutionalism and multilevel governance, aiming to formulate an institutional coordination strategy aligned with the National Mining-Energy Development Plan. This strategy, implemented between 2020 and 2023, includes three fundamental actions: a) diagnosis of socioeconomic externalities associated with mining; b) analysis of institutional capacity in the face of the energy transition; and c) formulation of structuring guidelines for productive recovery, in accordance with the sector's 2035 Vision.In conclusion, it highlights the need for both the national government and producing territories to understand the complexity of the present and future of extractive activity, ensuring its benefits while advancing toward fulfilling commitments such as the 2030 Agenda, carbon neutrality by 2050, and the Sustainable Development Goals.

Keywords: Institutionality, Energy transition, Decarbonization, economic recovery, mining closure.