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Colombia Pushes Fossil Fuel Phaseout
Coverage from The Guardian, New Scientist, and others
Articles
25
Active Days
88
The Topic
Colombia and the Netherlands have launched a coalition-based process to help governments plan a transition away from fossil fuels, following stalled progress in formal climate negotiations. The Santa Marta conference produced commitments to develop national roadmaps, launched a scientific advisory panel, and focused on financing, energy security, fossil fuel subsidies, and the political barriers facing producer countries. Early country experience, particularly in Colombia and Brazil, shows that expanding renewables is more achievable than permanently reducing fossil fuel production and revenue dependence.
First Article: 03/31/26
Latest Article: 06/26/26
Summary
- Colombia and the Netherlands convened the first dedicated conference on transitioning away from fossil fuels, with participation from more than 50 governments and the European Union.
- Participants agreed to develop national roadmaps covering fossil fuel use, transition planning, energy security, and in some cases exported fuels.
- The process operates outside formal COP negotiations and is intended to feed into future multilateral climate discussions.
- A new Science Panel for the Global Energy Transition and a researcher-backed set of policy actions will advise participating governments.
- Colombia has expanded solar and community energy but has struggled to make restrictions on fossil fuel extraction and subsidies durable.
- Brazil is coordinating a voluntary roadmap across its environment, finance, and energy ministries, but has not set dates for the next stages.
- Debt pressures, fossil fuel revenues, subsidies, and concerns about jobs and energy access remain central obstacles to phaseout planning.
History
The story now emphasizes that the Santa Marta process has moved from a broad political gathering to a more structured coalition effort, with a new scientific advisory panel and clearer policy focus. It also adds a sharper assessment that the hardest barrier is not renewable expansion but politically and financially unwinding fossil-fuel dependence, especially in producer countries.
The story has broadened from a smaller Colombia-Netherlands-led coalition into a much larger, more structured effort involving more than 50 governments, the EU, and scientific advisers. It also now emphasizes concrete domestic roadmaps, implementation hurdles, and the inclusion of export-fuel emissions and Brazil's parallel planning.
Featured
05-04-2026
Nearly 60 governments met in Santa Marta, Colombia in the past week to create fossil-fuel phaseout roadmaps amid oil price spikes tied to US-Iran tensions.
05-01-2026
Johan Rockström and 57 countries met in Santa Marta, Colombia, to draft fossil fuel phaseout roadmaps and renewables scaling plans ahead of follow-up talks in Tuvalu.
06-15-2026
Flávia Bellaguarda said Brazil’s COP30-driven fossil fuel transition roadmap guidance is being revised before CNPE review and later stakeholder consultations.
Timeline: 88 Days
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Additional Articles
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In Santa Marta, Colombia, 53 countries and the European Union launch a minilateral process to transition away from fossil fuels, with outputs intended to feed into COP31.
Colombia and the Netherlands presented Santa Marta fossil-fuel transition takeaways in London after a 21 June election runoff, amid uncertainty over Colombia's next stance for COP31 in Turkey.
Drought risk to hydropower and aging grid infrastructure are threatening renewable electricity reliability in Latin America and the Caribbean, including Venezuela.
Colombia and the Netherlands hosted a Santa Marta conference in 2024 to coordinate concrete policies and plans to phase out oil, gas, and coal.
Fifty-seven countries launched a fossil fuel phaseout summit in Santa Marta, Colombia, with next steps linked to UN climate talks in Turkey in November.
On April 29 in Santa Marta, Colombia, an intergovernmental summit for fossil fuel phase-down ended without binding commitments and set working groups and a 2027 follow-up.
Colombia hosted a first fossil fuel transition conference in Santa Marta on Wednesday to align nearly 60 countries on national decarbonization roadmaps.
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Colombia’s Petro administration expanded non-hydro renewables by 2025 while fracking and fossil subsidy reforms stalled amid political and legal constraints.
More than 50 nations met in Santa Marta, Colombia, from 24 April to advance fossil fuel phaseout planning, including a launched Science Panel and a 12-action policy report.
Nearly 60 countries met in Santa Marta, Colombia to discuss regional plans for phasing out fossil fuels outside the UNFCCC COP process, amid major-country non-participation and limited enforceable outcomes.
Countries meeting in Santa Marta, Colombia, from 24-29 April advanced national fossil-fuel roadmaps and science advice to halt new expansion, feeding into COP30 and COP31 preparations.
Colombia and the Netherlands advance the Santa Marta fossil-fuel transition process as a post-election shift in Colombia risks weakening phaseout commitments ahead of COP31 in Turkey.
Nearly 60 countries met in Santa Marta, Colombia to plan how to end fossil fuel production, emphasizing supply-side governance, finance constraints, and legal barriers such as ISDS.
War-linked disruption of the Strait of Hormuz coincided with stable coal use and renewables growth as 57 countries met in Santa Marta, Colombia, to discuss fossil fuel phaseout and UN endorsement of ICJ climate duty guidance.
At Bonn mid-year climate talks, Brazil COP30 Presidency officials sought government and civil society input on a fossil-fuel transition roadmap for UNFCCC negotiations.
In Santa Marta, Colombia, a 56-country conference ended without binding deals, aiming for future coordination on fossil fuel phaseout while emphasizing financing barriers and labor transition planning.
FIDH urges fossil fuel phaseout through Santa Marta and COP31 roadmap negotiations during 2026, grounded in a 2025 International Court of Justice advisory opinion and human rights obligations.
Colombia and the Netherlands will convene a Santa Marta conference on 28-29 April to advance a fossil-fuel phaseout and financing mechanisms after stalled UNFCCC outcomes.
Fifty-seven countries meeting in Santa Marta, Colombia plan fossil fuel phase down roadmaps addressing subsidies and renewable finance, with a follow-up in Tuvalu.
In Santa Marta, Colombia, 57 countries planned voluntary fossil-fuel reduction roadmaps after COP30 while new research warned of severe coastal Louisiana exposure.
Nearly 60 countries meeting in Santa Marta, Colombia, discussed science-led roadmaps, legal frameworks, and producer accountability to phase out fossil fuels, with next steps planned for Tuvalu in 2027.
In Santa Marta, Colombia, nearly 60 countries in 2027-focused talks agreed on national fossil fuel phaseout roadmaps alongside updates on offshore wind and Amsterdam advertising rules.