After several days of negotiations, ministers, climate advocates and financial experts from more than 50 countries have agreed on a set of outcomes at the first gathering dedicated to eliminating planet-warming fossil fuels.
The conference, held in Colombia’s coastal city of Santa Marta, laid the groundwork for continued cooperation between countries that want to move toward a clean-energy future, and created momentum for greater dialogue on an issue that is politically and economically sensitive.
Maina Vakafua Talia, minister of home affairs, climate change and environment in the Pacific state of Tuvalu, told delegates at the talks hosted by Colombia and the Netherlands that they were “making history.”
He said, “Multilateralism and international cooperation are not defined by a process, but by recognizing the shortcomings of governance. (…) Even our greatest challenges can be overcome, and together we can reach new horizons.”
finding common ground
The issue of how to replace coal, oil and gas – which are increasing global temperatures and causing extreme weather such as drought, hurricanes and heatwaves – for greater electrification and a faster rollout of renewable energy is complex. And there is no one-size-fits-all solution to creating change.
Countries that export coal, oil and gas face different challenges than countries that import fossil fuels.
Colombia is an example of this. Its economy depends on coal exports, including to Germany and other parts of Europe. Therefore, if the country wants to close this sector quickly, it will have to create alternative sources of income and employment. Vulnerable groups will also be among those most affected.
Shutting down the industry overall would also be difficult for legal reasons, with mining companies potentially suing the state for compensation for lost revenues.
In short, moving away from coal is a structural change that requires a strategy for funding, planning and social management of outcomes.
Germany’s Coal Commission could offer a model for getting there. Established in 2019, the body brought all relevant stakeholders to the table and immediately developed a plan to transition away from coal that was deemed economically viable and socially just. Germany plans to completely phase out coal-based power generation by 2038.
multilateralism is under stress
Unlike the huge annual UN climate conferences, which are attended not only by representatives of most of the world’s countries but also increasingly by fossil fuel lobbyists, the Santa Marta meeting was presented as a “coalition of the willing”.
The hosts issued their invitation after last year’s COP30 climate summit in Brazil, in which a broad coalition emerged in favor of a roadmap to phase out fossil fuels.
The proposal was ultimately blocked by several countries. The participants in the talks in Santa Marta therefore welcomed the opportunity to meet on a different platform.
Former Irish President Mary Robinson, a leading climate justice figure, said the talks felt more collaborative than the annual UN climate conferences.
“The COPs are more formal, negotiators have their limits and they will not cross them and here everything is very different,” he told reporters.
Many ideas and the central question of money
France used the conference to present a detailed plan for when and how it intended to phase out the use of coal, oil and gas.
It plans to reduce the share of fossil fuels in final energy consumption to 40% by 2030 and to 30% by 2035. Coal is to be phased out by 2027, oil by 2045 and fossil gas by 2050. The French roadmap brings together existing climate and energy targets but does not include new commitments.
NGOs have welcomed the plan but say it is inadequate in the face of the climate crisis. Last year, 91% of the planet recorded warmer than average air temperatures. The hot conditions are linked to long-lasting heatwaves, wildfires, crop failures, and water shortages.
The talks in Santa Marta also made it clear that financing the energy transition is one of the central challenges, especially for developing countries facing high borrowing costs and limited access to capital.
Stientje van Veldhoven, the Dutch minister for climate and green growth, said affordable financing will be essential if the transition is to be implemented globally. The Netherlands has also called for cuts in fossil fuel subsidies. Today, fossil fuels are subsidized to the tune of $920 billion worldwide.
Promoting energy security in uncertain times
Colombia’s leftist President Gustavo Petro attended the talks and used the occasion to challenge the global economic model that underpins fossil fuel consumption.
He linked current conflicts to energy dependence, saying that “the wars we are seeing are driven by desperate geopolitical strategies around fossil resources.”
Underscoring the importance of the energy transition for Europe, EU climate chief Wopke Hoekstra said that “in almost two months, without a single extra unit of energy, Europe’s fossil fuel import bill increased by more than 22 billion euros.”
He said the roadmap to move away from coal, oil and gas should be based on targets agreed at the UN climate conference to triple renewable energy capacity and double energy efficiency by 2030. This should also include ending new extraction and exploration and the decarbonization of transportation, aviation and shipping.
Germany did not send any ministers but was represented by Jochen Flaisbarth, an experienced climate diplomat.
The German government remains divided on its path toward fossil fuel independence. While the Environment Ministry wants to accelerate the expansion of renewable energy, Economy Minister Catharina Reich is supporting policies that would prolong the role of fossil fuels.
It will take time to create a roadmap
Cristian Retamal, an associate researcher at the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya in Spain, said the spirit of the talks had been “quite constructive with a very positive mood” but that it was too early to say how things would develop.
“The real impact of this emerging coalition and envisioned efforts remains to be seen in the coming months and years.”
Delegates to what is also known as the TAFF conference say there will be no defined roadmap or treaty this year. However some Global South countries would like to see some binding going forward.
“We need a fossil fuel treaty that creates the necessary architecture for a just transition,” said Cedric Dzelu, technical director of the Office of Ghana’s Minister of Climate Change and Sustainability. “Past treaties and agreements often fall short on policies and promises, financing and equitable implementation.”
Juan Carlos Monterrey, special representative for climate change at Panama’s environment ministry, said it would be a process.
“We must pave the way for a legal document that outlines the phases in which it will be phased out and how we will finance it,” he said. “The treaty will take time. We know that.”
Still, he said in a firm voice.
“Economies built on fossil fuels are unraveling in real time. Fossil fuels aren’t just dirty. They’re unreliable. They’re dangerous. And they must end.”
The next meeting is scheduled to be held in Tuvalu next year. Scientists believe the small Pacific island state could disappear by 2100 as a result of rising sea levels.
Edited by: Tamsin Walker