The international community has called for a transition away from fossil fuels. This marks the first attempt to bring discussions about phasing out fossil fuels into actual policy and investment agendas, separate from the United Nations (UN) climate negotiation framework.
The First International Conference on the Transition from Fossil Fuels, co-hosted by Colombia and the Netherlands, took place from April 24 to 29 in Santa Marta, Colombia. About 50 countries participated, including Canada, Norway, Brazil, France, the United Kingdom, and the European Union (EU). Notably absent were the U.S., Russia, China, and South Korea.
This conference was the first international meeting to address the reduction of coal, oil, and gas consumption as a distinct agenda item. The existing UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP) emphasizes consensus among all nations, often stalling discussions on reducing fossil fuels when oil-producing and major consuming countries object. The Santa Marta meeting took a different approach, bringing together countries, local governments, civil society, academia, labor sectors, and private entities committed to the transition.
The conference focused on strategies to reduce fossil fuel usage, methods to transform fossil fuel-dependent economies, and ways to allocate the costs of this transition.
Energy security was a key topic at the conference. Selwin Hart, the UN Secretary-General’s Special Advisor on Climate Action, highlighted that three-quarters of the world’s population live in countries that are net importers of fossil fuels. He emphasized that these people suffer from consequences they neither caused nor can control. Hart stressed that the transition from fossil fuels is not just an environmental issue, but also one of security, economics, and development.
Colombian President Gustavo Petro strongly criticized the global economy’s dependence on fossil fuels. He argued that vested interests in the fossil fuel industry are hindering the shift to green energy, and questioned humanity’s ability to transition to a non-fossil energy system.
Not all participating countries advocated for an equal pace in phasing out fossil fuels. Some oil-producing nations, such as Nigeria, emphasized reduction and transition over complete phase-out, citing concerns about export revenues, national finances, and employment.
At the conference, France unveiled its roadmap for transitioning away from fossil fuels. The country plans to phase out coal by 2030, oil by 2045, and gas by 2050. This comprehensive plan includes the electrification of heating and transportation sectors, as well as support for developing countries in their own transitions.
Given the absence of major global powers, this meeting will not immediately result in a binding new agreement. Instead, participants focused on discussing proposals and strategies to reduce reliance on fossil fuels. The conference outcomes are expected to lead to a report on potential solutions, a consultation platform, and discussions on country-specific transition roadmaps. The second meeting is scheduled for 2027 in Tuvalu.