"Colombia court decision on fracking could end speculation before July," 11 March 2020

A ruling from Colombia’s highest administrative court ... could put a years-long argument between energy companies and anti-fracking activists to bed within the next four months.

Commercial production from non-conventional deposits... could be allowed if the Council of State rules in favor. Currently, such activities are not permitted in Latin America’s fourth-largest economy.

Environmentalists say non-conventional techniques will put health and water supplies at risk and add to the global climate crisis.

The more than decade-long debate over fracking accelerated in 2014, when the previous government said it would allow energy companies to start exploring the deposits.

The Council ordered the temporary suspension of non-conventional exploration in 2018... but after widespread misinterpretation, it was forced to clarify a week later that the suspension did not block pilot projects.

The government... has taken pains to emphasize it is not for or against fracking and will defer to the court’s ruling. 

However, this month it published regulations for pilot projects that permit the drilling, fracking and measuring of non-conventional deposits.

Companies insist they will be ready to start pilot projects once licenses are approved.

Anti-fracking campaigners say they are prepared to keep fighting no matter the ruling and that they will not accept anything less than a ban.