Whereas Colombia is one of the world’s megadiverse countries, hosting close to 10 percent of the planet’s biodiversity and producing an estimated 15 percent of the world’s oxygen; Whereas Colombia occupies— (1) first place worldwide in the number of birds and orchids; (2) second place in species of plants, amphibians, butterflies and fresh water fish; (3) third place in species of palm trees and reptiles; (4) fourth place in biodiversity of mammals; and (5) fifth place in marine and continental ecosystems; Whereas Colombia’s extraordinary mix of ecological, climatic, and biological components are dispersed among its 311 ecosystems and 59 protected areas; Whereas Colombia’s biodiversity is at risk, mainly because of habitat loss, urbanization, illicit drug cultivation and production, mining and other extractive industries, deforestation, and overfishing; Whereas on the day of his inauguration in 2010, and continuously since that date, President Santos has made environmental management and resource conservation top priorities of the Colombian Government; Whereas since his inauguration, 14,800,000 hectares of territory have been incorporated into the National System of Protected Areas, including Chiribiquete National Park, Corales de Profundidad National Park, Acandí, Playón and Playona Wildlife Sanctuaries, and Bahía Portete–Kaurrele National Natural Park; Whereas Colombia now has 28,400,000 hectares incorporated into the National System of Protected Areas; Whereas the Colombian Government approved the establishment and expansion of indigenous reserves to protect indigenous cultures and curtail deforestation of critical ecosystems; Whereas the Colombian Government adopted measures to reduce carbon emissions resulting from deforestation in the Colombian Amazon; Whereas the Colombian Government developed a national strategy to combat climate change; Whereas, through the Vision Amazonia initiative, the Colombian Government has set an ambitious goal of achieving zero net deforestation in the Colombian Amazon by 2020