Pure Earth participated in the regional workshop “The Commitment to Nature-Based Solutions (NbS) as Territorial Solutions, from the Perspective of Communities and Experts,” held on July 9 in Bucaramanga, Colombia. The event served as a space to share lessons and experiences on how to address environmental and social challenges through participatory, regenerative, and technically feasible approaches.
Pure Earth’s presentation showcased how the remediation of mercury-contaminated mine tailings can be a critical first step toward ecosystem restoration and the transition to sustainable territorial development models.
Nature-Based Solutions: A Comprehensive Approach to the Future of Territories
Nature-Based Solutions (NbS) are actions that protect, restore, or sustainably manage natural ecosystems to address societal challenges such as climate change, food security, water management, and environmental health. This approach has gained special relevance in contexts where environmental degradation and the impacts of extractive activities have left behind liabilities that directly affect communities.
Globally, NbS have been recognized by the United Nations as key strategies for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. In Colombia, the national government has expressed its commitment to NbS through its participation in the Global Alliance for NbS and through policy instruments such as its Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC), which sets concrete targets for ecosystem restoration and conservation in the fight against climate change.
A Territory-Led Event with Community and Technical Participation
The workshop was convened by the Santander Water Protection Alliance (Alianza PAS), a multisectoral initiative led by organizations such as ANDI, The Nature Conservancy (TNC), Aris Mining Colombia, Esri Colombia, Universidad EAN, and Fundación Natura, among others. The alliance seeks to protect water resources in the Soto Norte region by building a shared vision among communities, academia, the private sector, and environmental authorities.
The event, titled “The Commitment to NbS as Territorial Solutions, from the Perspective of Communities and Experts,” took place in Bucaramanga, Santander, and brought together representatives from multiple municipalities, institutions, and allied organizations. Its goal was to strengthen the participatory process of building a regional portfolio of NbS projects and to foster dialogue around the opportunities and challenges of their implementation.
Throughout the workshop, key questions were discussed regarding financing, sustainability, women’s inclusion, and the replicability of solutions, with a special focus on the realities of mining territories in the department.
Pure Earth’s Experience: Decontaminating to Restore
Pure Earth shared its experience in the decontamination of mercury-contaminated tailings from artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM), using copper plates coated with silver—a low-cost, replicable, and environmentally safe technology. This innovation has been implemented in the departments of Santander and Antioquia, enabling the recovery of up to 84% of the mercury present in abandoned mining waste.
Our presentation also emphasized the importance of the technical characterization of tailings, the development of safe handling protocols, and the creation of mercury storage units, in coordination with local and regional authorities.
By sharing this experience at the workshop, we sought to contribute to the NbS approach from a critical starting point: environmental remediation as a prerequisite for ecological restoration, productive transformation, and rebuilding trust in affected territories.
A Concrete Contribution to the NbS Portfolio in Santander
Pure Earth’s participation in this space reaffirms its commitment to Nature-Based Solutions as tools for public health, environmental justice, and sustainable development. Our proposal aligns with a comprehensive territorial vision—where cleaning up the past is essential to enable a productive, biodiverse, and resilient future.
We trust that this collaboration with Alianza PAS, local communities, and regional actors will help strengthen local capacities and open new opportunities to replicate effective solutions adapted to the Colombian context.
