Colombian President Gustavo Petro ordered a 4-trillion-peso (about $970 million) reallocation of the General National Budget from the Colombia Solar program to the National Unit for Disaster Risk Management (UNGRD), warning of an “almost 100%” probability that a severe “meganiño” will impact the country starting in December.
The outgoing president announced the measure on Tuesday during an extraordinary session of the National Risk Management Council via teleconference, stating that the goal is to prepare for a potential drop in reservoir levels between December and the coming March.
Petro emphasized that the response should accelerate the transition to renewable energies rather than expand fossil fuel use. “It is not with more gas, it is with more solar panels, because what there will be is sun and a lot of sun throughout Colombian territory,” the president said.
The head of state also called for stricter oversight of funds allocated for the emergency, explicitly warning: “Watch out for corruption,” referencing a history of irregularities in UNGRD contracting.
Petro, who ends his term on August 7, urged the incoming government of Abelardo de la Espriella during the installation of Congress’s ordinary sessions the previous day to adopt measures to mitigate the phenomenon’s effects on water supply, food production, and the energy system.
Author: vmmh
Source: agencies
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