Ministers, climate advocates and finance experts from more than 50 countries concluded the first dedicated conference on phasing out fossil fuels with a set of shared outcomes meant to speed the transition to cleaner energy.
The meeting, called TAFF (Transition Away from Fossil Fuels), took place in Santa Marta, Colombia, and was hosted by Colombia and the Netherlands. It was designed as a forum for countries willing to move beyond coal, oil and gas to coordinate action outside the formal UN climate process. Tuvalu’s Maina Vakafua Talia described the talks as historic, arguing that stronger multilateral governance is needed for countries to make coordinated progress.
Reaching agreement was complicated by the different realities facing fuel exporters and importers. Colombia highlighted those tensions: its economy depends on coal exports, so any rapid phase-down would require alternative revenue, job-creation programs and legal strategies to handle potential claims by mining companies. Participants said such structural shifts demand sustained financing, planning and social protections. Germany’s Coal Commission, created in 2019 to negotiate a socially fair coal exit with a 2038 phase-out date, was offered as one model for inclusive transition planning.
Organizers framed Santa Marta as a ‘coalition of the willing’ — a complementary space to annual COP meetings where fossil fuel interests have become more visible. Delegates and some former COP leaders said the atmosphere felt more cooperative than larger UN negotiations, which often see parties adhere rigidly to preset positions.
Financing the transition dominated discussions. France presented a detailed timetable to cut fossil fuels in final energy consumption to 40% by 2030 and 30% by 2035, with coal phased out by 2027, oil by 2045 and fossil gas by 2050. Environmental groups welcomed the targets but warned they fall short given the worsening climate impacts: last year, 91% of the planet recorded warmer-than-average surface temperatures, contributing to heat waves, wildfires, crop failures and water stress.
Delegates stressed that developing countries face acute financing barriers, including high borrowing costs and limited access to capital. Dutch climate minister Stientje van Veldhoven urged more affordable finance and called for cuts to fossil fuel subsidies, which currently amount to roughly $920 billion globally.
Energy security and geopolitics also shaped the debate. Colombian President Gustavo Petro linked modern conflicts to dependence on fossil resources, while EU climate chief Wopke Hoekstra noted the economic risks: Europe’s fossil-fuel import bill surged by more than €22 billion in about two months without extra supply. He urged a roadmap aligned with UN objectives to triple renewable capacity, double energy efficiency by 2030, halt new extraction and decarbonize transport, aviation and shipping.
Not all delegations spoke with a single voice: Germany sent climate diplomat Jochen Flasbarth rather than a minister, reflecting domestic differences over how quickly to reduce fossil fuel use.
Speakers acknowledged that a binding global treaty this year was unlikely. Some Global South representatives pushed for stronger legal instruments and a treaty architecture to ensure a just transition, while others emphasized that meaningful progress would take time. Analysts described the talks as constructive but noted the coalition’s real influence will become apparent only over months and years.
Delegates agreed to continued cooperation rather than a definitive roadmap for now. The next TAFF meeting is planned for 2027 in Tuvalu, a Pacific island nation particularly vulnerable to sea-level rise.