Oil & The Narco: A Radical Perspective Regarding Cleantech’s Role Amidst the War on Drugs - CleanTechnica

The article "Oil & The Narco: A Radical Perspective Regarding Cleantech’s Role Amidst the War on Drugs" explores the complex relationship between Colombia’s cocaine production, its ongoing internal conflict, and the potential impact of cleantechnology on this dynamic. Historically, cocaine production in Colombia has been deeply intertwined with armed groups, including paramilitaries and guerrillas like the FARC, who used coca cultivation and cocaine trafficking to finance their operations. Despite government efforts to combat drug production, including the takedown of notorious figures like Pablo Escobar and aerial herbicide spraying, cocaine production has surged again since 2013. This resurgence is attributed primarily to the ban on glyphosate spraying, which was harmful to local communities, and the economic effects of the global oil crisis that devalued the Colombian peso, increasing narco profits. The article highlights that cocaine production has reached unprecedented levels in the 2020s, driven by both an expansion in coca cultivation area and increased crop