SANTA MARTA, Colombia — Colombia and the Netherlands convened a two-day high-level conference in Santa Marta to focus explicitly on phasing out oil, gas and coal. More than 50 countries attended to discuss concrete steps — from shifting subsidies away from gasoline and diesel and into renewables and batteries, to designing alternative livelihoods for millions employed in fossil fuel industries.
Colombia, itself a significant coal, oil and gas producer, has been diversifying its economy and expanding cleaner energy. The meeting took place near a major coal-exporting port; Colombia’s environment minister, Irene Vélez Torres, described the gathering as a possible ‘turning point in history’ where pledges could become practical action.
The talks unfolded against a backdrop of a global energy crunch tied to conflict in the Middle East and sharply higher fuel prices. The International Energy Agency has called the situation ‘the mother of all energy crises.’ For many nations, that pressure has made reducing dependence on imported and volatile fuels more urgent. Small island states such as Vanuatu, which face rising seas and rely on fuel imports, said recent shortages accelerated solar projects and moved forward plans to electrify government vehicle fleets.
Economic and security considerations are increasingly driving the shift away from fossil fuels. Renewables paired with storage are closing the cost gap with gas and coal, making clean energy an economically and strategically attractive choice. Leo Roberts of E3G noted that many governments are pursuing transitions ‘not necessarily for climate reasons’ but because cleaner systems are cheaper and more secure.
Notably absent were the United States, which declined to participate and dismissed the event as part of a ‘bogus climate agenda,’ and China, the world’s largest coal consumer. Several major producers did attend, including Australia, Mexico and Nigeria. Colombia’s Daniela Durán, head of international affairs at the environment ministry, said the meeting was designed as a forum for willing countries to move forward rather than a battleground with holdouts.
Santa Marta grew in part from frustration with the U.N. climate process. Although COP28 in Dubai included language about transitioning energy systems away from fossil fuels, follow-up U.N. talks have struggled to lay out how to do it, and some producing countries resisted explicit fossil fuel language. After last November’s COP in Brazil failed to produce a clear roadmap, Colombia and the Netherlands organized Santa Marta as a complementary space to tackle the issue directly.
Delegates and experts discussed possible next steps, including repeat conferences and even the idea of a legally binding treaty to commit countries to phase-out actions. Participants debated the merits of binding obligations versus softer, nonbinding approaches.
Scientists at the meeting stressed the urgency. A recent U.N. assessment found current national pledges would cut emissions by only about 12 percent by 2035 — far short of the roughly 50 percent reduction many scientists say is needed to keep warming near 1.5°C. Johan Rockström of the Potsdam Institute warned that breaching 1.5°C this decade is likely without faster action, but said reversing an overshoot remains possible if transitions accelerate. Former Irish President Mary Robinson called Santa Marta ‘a coalition of the doers’ with a rare chance to move quickly.
Organizers hope Santa Marta will spawn follow-up meetings — Tuvalu is being considered as a likely next host — and become a practical forum to map finance, timelines, job transitions and policy tools that could turn ambition into tangible reductions in fossil fuel use. Whether the conference can translate high-level intent into coordinated, large-scale action remains the key question.