Cristian Retamal, Chile’s former negotiator at UN climate talks, hopes this week’s conference in Colombia will help launch a new global political movement.
Retamal is in Santa Marta, Colombia, where representatives from more than 50 countries have convened for the first-ever conference focused on transitioning away from fossil fuels. The meeting, held April 24–29, aims to produce a practical, equitable plan to reduce dependence on coal, oil and natural gas and to identify the legal, economic and social measures needed to do so.
The event was convened amid frustration after last year’s UN climate conference, where, despite backing from over 80 countries, negotiators failed to secure a binding mandate to phase out fossil fuels because of a veto by major oil and gas exporters such as Russia and Saudi Arabia. Yet Retamal sees broad international interest—from ministers to civil society—as evidence that momentum for ending the fossil fuel era exists even if COP stalled.
Co-hosted by Colombia and the Netherlands, the talks draw not only climate-vulnerable states like Pacific island nations but also significant fossil-fuel producing democracies, including Canada, Australia, the United Kingdom and Norway. Several EU countries and the European Commission are also represented. Major global producers such as the US, China, Saudi Arabia and Russia are not attending. Environmental groups including Greenpeace and WWF have called the meeting “historic,” dubbing it a new “coalition of the willing.”
Colombian Environment Minister Irene Vélez Torres has emphasized the meeting’s practical focus. Dutch climate and green growth minister Stientje van Veldhoven-van der Meer’s office said it is “implementation time,” adding that work will begin on what a transition away from fossil fuels requires: reducing both supply and demand. That agenda includes plans to phase out fossil fuel subsidies, currently estimated at about $920 billion a year, a major factor keeping oil, gas and coal artificially competitive.
Renewables have surged in recent years, led by solar deployment in China and India. Analysis from energy think tank Ember shows clean energy topped global electricity demand in 2025, and renewables comprised more than one-third of the world’s electricity mix for the first time last year. Still, a complete phaseout of fossil-fuel power and associated emissions remains some years off.
The recent spike in oil and gas prices and supply concerns linked to the Iran war have exposed the geopolitical and economic vulnerabilities of fossil-fuel reliance. Proponents of a transition argue that moving away from coal, oil and gas reduces dependence on volatile external markets, cuts toxic pollution, supports more stable development and can strengthen self-determination and democratic governance, said Lili Fuhr of the Center for International Environmental Law.
Organizers and experts stress the talks are realistic about hurdles. Madeleine Wörner of Misereor warned there is no “magic wand” to resolve decades of entrenched systems. Retamal expects it will take years to negotiate any binding roadmap or treaty. Delegates are addressing not only how to close down fossil-fuel activities but also the complex legal and trade implications of such moves—companies might seek compensation through investor-state dispute settlement clauses if assets are retired early, potentially leading to costly claims and bilateral tensions.
Social and economic justice is central to the discussion: millions of livelihoods depend on the fossil fuel industry, and any phaseout must include measures to ensure affected workers and communities are not left behind.
Colombia and the Netherlands are sending their climate ministers; Colombian President Gustavo Petro is expected to attend. Germany will be represented by Secretary of State Jochen Flasbarth. Observers criticized Germany for not sending a higher-level political figure, reflecting internal divisions that may limit its influence at Santa Marta.
Framed as a dialogue rather than a negotiation, the conference includes a wide range of civil society groups, academics and private-sector participants; political representatives join for the final two days. Organizers hope that by bridging technical, legal and political gaps, the meeting can catalyze a movement that accelerates implementation of the transition away from fossil fuels and clarifies what collective action will require.
This article was originally written in German.