This publication analyzes the environmental licensing process applicable to coal-fired power plants in Colombia, with a particular focus on air quality and its impacts on public health. Based on a regulatory, institutional, and comparative review, the document identifies gaps in emissions monitoring and control, weaknesses in the incorporation of environmental health criteria, and barriers to participation and access to information. It also presents international experiences and recommendations for moving toward a more preventive, transparent, and participatory licensing process that strengthens the protection of communities, public health, and territories within the framework of a just energy transition.