First International Conference on Fossil Fuel Transition Opens in Santa Marta

The First Conference on Transitioning Away from Fossil Fuels formally opened in Santa Marta, Colombia on April 24, 2026 — the world's first international summit dedicated exclusively to fossil fuel phase-out pathways. Co-hosted by Colombia and the Netherlands with backing from Brazil's COP30 Presidency, the summit brought together 54 nations and the European Union for academic forums, a People's Summit, and high-level government talks (April 28-29). The conference aims to develop country- and sector-specific phase-out roadmaps, operating outside of UNFCCC's all-inclusive but slow-moving consensus framework. A 12-point 'Santa Marta Synthesis' report from a top scientists' group was commissioned as policy input. Major fossil fuel producers including Norway, Australia, and Mexico attended alongside Pacific island states. The US, China, Russia, India, and Saudi Arabia were notably absent.