As the energy transition enters a more volatile phase, countries must come together in Santa Marta to find ways to support each other through a more stable global transition.
The First Conference on Transitioning Away from Fossil Fuels – April 24 to 29 in Santa Marta, Colombia – is the first ever international summit dedicated to how countries move beyond fossil fuels in practice. Set against the context of the far-reaching energy market impacts of the US-Israel strikes and regional conflagration on Iran, the conference underscores a shift in how governments view the transitions no longer mainly as a climate imperative, but as a strategic and self-interested priority for economic growth, security, and affordability.
Join our E3G virtual media briefing for journalists: Wednesday 22 April 12.00-13.00 BST
REGISTER HERE: https://e3g-org.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_Ul3lCAfZSAGmawugYaNfLg giving details of your affiliation. More detail on what will be covered below.
- More than 50 countries are expected to attend, alongside subnational leaders, academia, and civil society. Participants will span major developed producers such as Norway, Canada and Australia, vulnerable developing producers such as Angola, key importers such as the EU and many of its member states, and highly exposed consumers including Cambodia and Sri Lanka. Against a backdrop of growing recognition that fossil fuel dependence carries systemic risk, this diverse group can signal their leadership, boost practical cooperation on key solutions to drive the transition, and reinforce confidence in global and multilateral cooperation on energy transition progress across 2026 as a response to geopolitical volatility.
- Santa Marta presents a platform for first mover countries to demonstrate domestic action and its benefits for both climate, economy and security – from scaling resilient, clean power systems, moving away from coal-fired power, and boosting electrification to reduce fossil fuel demand – and signalling leadership to galvanise support, finance, and partnerships for more vulnerable countries to do the same. A central measure of Santa Marta success will be sparking forward momentum into 2026, showing feasibility, support and concrete steps countries can take, including to plan for their own transition roadmaps.
- Led by Colombia and the Netherlands, the conference builds on the momentum generated at COP30 to advance implementation of the COP28 agreement to transition the global energy system away from fossil fuels. It aligns with other key fossil fuel transition processes this year, as Brazil develops its COP30 global Roadmap on the Transition Away from Fossil Fuels (TAFF) for launch ahead of COP31. These processes can collectively drive political dialogue to advance delivery of global commitments on energy transition and forward multilateral cooperation both alongside and within the UNFCCC space.
What to look out for:
- The conference is the start of a process rather than a one-off moment. Countries will need to identify a set of concrete solutions to collaborate on going forward, strengthen paths for cooperation, and ensure Santa Marta outcomes and political dialogue inform the COP30 Presidency Roadmap and multilateral processes. Key signals to watch include progress on supporting national roadmaps, increased support for vulnerable economies, and plans for continuity in coordination.
- Santa Marta is also the first major international climate conference to centrally incorporate the legal and financial barriers from investor-state dispute settlements (ISDS) (see our ISDS explainer) and presents a pivotal opportunity to embed ISDS reform within the transition agenda.
Quotes
Katrine Petersen, Programme Lead, Global Clean Power Diplomacy:
“The latest energy shocks have yet again exposed the systemic risks of fossil fuel dependence, leaving economies and their citizens vulnerable to volatility. It’s also brought the imperative for an orderly and equitable transition away from fossil fuels right to the top of more and more countries’ agendas – not just for the climate, but because it’s essential for economic prosperity, security and affordability.
Countries gathering in Santa Marta are doubling down on that direction of travel, sending a clear signal that, in the face of geopolitical tensions, international cooperation remains a powerful force to accelerate concrete action and scaled support for a more rapid shift to clean, resilient energy systems.”
Beth Walker, Senior Policy Advisor, energy transition programme:
“Santa Marta matters because it gives a broad group of governments the chance to come together to chart a less volatile and more equitable transition, and to create a safe space for practical solutions. As we move deeper into the energy transition, oil markets will become more volatile, not less, as geopolitical tensions, demand uncertainty and investment mismatches amplify price swings.”
“Governments must use this moment to plan proactively for the transition, reduce exposure to oil market turbulence, and build more economies—with international support where countries are too vulnerable to manage that shift alone.”
Quote on fossil fuel producers:
“One key thing to watch at Santa Marta is what support is on offer for countries dependent on fossil fuel revenues, who cannot make this shift alone. For these countries, the transition poses existential risks to their economy and stability. So coordinated finance and international support are essential to prevent domestic crises spilling across borders and undermining the transition.”
Following Santa Marta, E3G will publish in Q2 a major report on the geopolitics of oil producers and their transition pathways. Please email press@e3g.org to register your interest in a briefing on this analysis.
Eunjung Lee, Senior Policy Advisor, Clean Economy:
“ISDS has long flown under the radar in climate talks despite the risk it poses—but Santa Marta changes that. At Santa Marta, governments must come together to recognise how ISDS threatens fossil fuel phaseouts and commit to work together to address the challenge.”
Register for E3G media briefing (journalists only):
E3G is hosting a virtual media briefing for journalists.
Join us on: Wednesday 22 April 12.00-13.00 BST
REGISTER HERE: https://e3g-org.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_Ul3lCAfZSAGmawugYaNfLg giving your affiliation.
E3G experts will talk through what to look for at Santa Marta and anticipated political and diplomatic outcomes, in the context of the current conflict, and as a key step on the road to COP31 and beyond. We’ll cover the signalling we need to see from leadership and how the platform created from Santa Marta can advance the transition away from fossil fuels going forward and connect with aligned processes such as the COP30 Roadmap. We’ll also cover E3G insights relating to Santa Marta agenda items such as ISDS, fossil fuel chokepoints, and the Iran conflict, and take your questions.
Available for comment
On the ground at Santa Marta
Leo Roberts, Associate Director, Energy Transition (global energy transition dynamics/politics, fossil fuel phaseout, multilateralism) | leo.roberts@e3g.org
Katrine Petersen, Programme Lead, Global Clean Power Diplomacy (global fossil fuel phaseout diplomacy, power sector transitions, multilateralism) | katrine.petersen@e3g.org
Charley Roberts, Head of Clean Energy Transition Partnership Secretariat, E3G (international energy transition finance, fossil fuel finance) | charley.roberts@e3g.org
Julia Skorupska, Head of Secretariat Powering Past Coal Alliance | julia.skorupska@poweringpastcoal.org
At E3G Offices:
Beth Walker (EN), Senior Policy Advisor, Energy Transition (Energy geopolitics, upstream oil and gas, fossil fuel producing countries’ transition) | beth.walker@e3g.org
Eunjung Lee (EN), Senior Policy Advisor, Clean Economy (Investment treaties and investor-state dispute settlement (ISDS)) | eunjung.lee@e3g.org
