The First International Conference on Transitioning Away from Fossil Fuels closed in Santa Marta, Colombia today.
57 countries – spanning major producers, vulnerable economies, and large importing blocs including the EU – focused on how to transition away from fossil fuels (TAFF) in practice. The conference marks a clear shift: from ambition-setting to the harder politics of managing fossil fuel decline, strengthening economic resilience, and building diversified, clean energy systems.
Set against the backdrop of recent energy shocks and persistent price volatility, the message is clear: fossil fuel dependence is not only a climate risk, but a structural economic and security vulnerability. Santa Marta reflects growing recognition that the energy transition is central to long-term energy security, affordability and stability – and provides a platform to begin translating that into practical action.
Key outcomes and next steps:
- 57 first-mover countries sent a definite signal supporting continued collaboration on actively managing the transition away from fossil fuels (TAFF).
- The Santa Marta Co-Chair’s Statement set out a clear forward path for the process, reinforcing its necessity as a complement to the COP climate negotiations, and articulating next steps for future conferences, for leadership and coordination of the emerging community of practice on TAFF, and for connectivity into existing mechanisms.
- The statement established a voluntary, informal steering committee for taking forward discussions, made up of a core of countries already playing a leadership role in fossil fuel phaseout implementation-related political alliances, with a clear link into the TAFF activation group within the COP Action Agenda.
- It set out three thematic workstreams to be taken forward in subsequent conferences and through targeted coordination:
- Collaboration to build national and regional fossil fuel phase out roadmaps (including links to NDC climate commitments)
- Trade policies
- Evolving the financial system, specifically fiscal traps, debt, and subsidy reform.
- Ireland and Tuvalu were announced as co-hosts of the 2027 Second Conference on Transitioning Away from Fossil Fuels, with the conference taking place in Tuvalu.
- Ministerial and other governmental interventions during the plenary sessions included multiple references to both the need for country roadmaps, and highlighted that the broad, solutions- and implementation-focused Santa Marta process is complementary to and supportive of the consensus-based, negotiation-focused COP process.
- A new international science panel on the energy transition was launched, alongside a set of expert recommendations developed through the academic pre-conference. These point to a more systemic approach: whole-economy TAFF roadmaps integrating fiscal policy and debt; stronger roles for central banks and financial institutions in managing volatility; legally binding methane reductions; and coordinated tools such as supply-side measures and reforms to international frameworks. Together, they underline that the transition is not just an energy issue, but a macroeconomic transformation requiring cross-government and international coordination. The Science Panel also provides a complementary body to the IPCC with a dedicated fossil fuel phase-out mandate.
Quotes
Leo Roberts, Associate Director, Energy Transition, E3G, said:
“COPs are often characterised by a unique form of high-tension, hardline consensus-based negotiation, which is essential to collective climate action, but is not the most effective format to get deep into country aspirations, plans, and concerns around a topic as complex as phasing out fossil fuels.
“The Santa Marta conference has created a constructive space in which these conversations can take place, establishing a forward path which allows governments, academia, civil society, labour and business to come together to share national pathways and challenges.
“Crucially, it was clear from ministers and senior diplomats that they see this space as an essential bridge between the complexity and context-specificity of their domestic national planning processes, and the COPs themselves. The Santa Marta process can provide the perfect external impetus to progress action on fossil fuel phaseout within the COPs.”
Katrine Petersen, Programme Lead, Global Clean Power Diplomacy, E3G, said:
“Amid geopolitical upheaval, countries in Santa Marta really have shown a new model for cooperation on the energy transition – one that’s putting fossil fuel roadmaps at the centre and focusing on getting down to brass tacks of how to accelerate the shift, and on how to do it together.
“With Tuvalu and Ireland now announced as the hosts for the follow up conference next year, the task turns to taking this week’s constructive talks into delivery for the future in a way that builds on what countries are already doing and where they are working together to implement their transitions, strengthens existing platforms, and avoids duplication. The plan for a new coordination group to shape the road to the next conference, led by governments and advised by country-led energy transition alliances and initiatives already working together on the COP Action Agenda, will help do exactly that.”
Charley Roberts, Head of Clean Energy Transition Partnership Secretariat, E3G, said:
“Today’s statement shows that the conversations had in Santa Marta aren’t just about taking stock of where we are, but rather continuing to push ourselves forward – and that the role of existing initiatives and coalitions is key to this.
“The transition away from fossil fuels is not just a political question but an economic one and as we move to ensuring support is there to enable all countries to progress on their pathway, we cannot forget to address the remaining inefficient uses of financial support and regulation that continue to prop up fossil fuels over alternative clean and secure sources of energy. With our track record on implementation, the CETP is ready to support this coalition, and contribute to the re-alignment of international financial flows in favour of a just, orderly, and most importantly, equitable transition.”
Eunjung Lee, Senior Policy Advisor, Clean Economy, E3G, said:
“Discussions in Santa Marta have made one thing unmistakably clear: ISDS is not peripheral but central to the challenge of transitioning away from fossil fuels. By placing this issue at the heart of the TAFF agenda, Santa Marta has taken a meaningful step forward, opening the door to more sustained and deeper engagement on addressing ISDS in follow-up conferences and across climate forums.”
Julia Skorupska, Head of Secretariat of the Powering Past Coal Alliance, said:
“Today’s announcement moves the conversation from what needs to happen to how to make it happen – through a new community of practice focused on helping countries address the practical barriers to transition.
This is a real opportunity to accelerate coal transition on the ground and help more countries reap its benefits: lower energy bills, greater energy resilience, and more competitive economies built on affordable clean power.
The PPCA brings a decade of experience working with governments on the real challenges of coal transition – from financing models to worker protection to country-level planning. We look forward to contributing that experience.”
Available for comment
Leo Roberts, Associate Director, Energy Transition (global energy transition dynamics/politics, fossil fuel phaseout, multilateralism) m: +44 (0) 7908 664 334 | leo.roberts@e3g.org
Katrine Petersen, Programme Lead, Global Clean Power Diplomacy (global fossil fuel phaseout diplomacy, power sector transitions, multilateralism) m: +44 7961754452 | katrine.petersen@e3g.org
Julia Skorupska, Head of Secretariat Powering Past Coal Alliance m: +44 7867361737 | julia.skorupska@poweringpastcoal.org
Beth Walker, Senior Policy Advisor, Energy Transition (Energy geopolitics, upstream oil and gas, fossil fuel producing countries’ transition) m: +44 7827 9668038 | beth.walker@e3g.org
Eunjung Lee, Senior Policy Advisor, Clean Economy (Investment treaties and investor-state dispute settlement (ISDS)) m: +44 7935 377622 | eunjung.lee@e3g.org
Charley Roberts, Head of Clean Energy Transition Partnership Secretariat (international energy transition finance, fossil fuel finance) m: +44 (0)7936 895240 | charley.roberts@e3g.org
For further enquiries, email press@e3g.org or phone +44 (0)7783 787 863 .
