The First Conference on Transitioning Away from Fossil Fuels

The First Conference on Transitioning Away from Fossil Fuels aims to solidify a coalition of the willing and provide a political platform for countries ready for an orderly, equitable transition away from fossil fuels.

Fossil fuels drive nearly three-quarters of global greenhouse gas emissions. Yet international climate decisions have had little to say about phasing out fossil fuels. That silence held for decades. But at the Belém Climate Conference in 2025, a coalition of over 80 countries forced the issue.

These countries pushed for a formal decision on transitioning away from fossil fuels. Instead, they left with an informal roadmap announced by the Brazilian Conference Presidency. On the sidelines, 24 countries went further: they issued the Belém Declaration, pledging to work collectively toward a just, orderly, and equitable transition aligned with 1.5°C pathways. To this end, Colombia and the Netherlands volunteered to co-host the First International Conference on Transitioning Away from Fossil Fuels.

The aim of the Conference is to solidify a “coalition of the willing,” providing a political platform for countries that are ready to act. The focus is delivery. The Conference complements the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC); it does not compete with it.

Despite falling renewable energy prices, there are a series of macroeconomic and institutional barriers to action. Three will be discussed. The first is overcoming economic dependence. Governments face deep fiscal dependence on fossil fuel revenues, particularly with mounting public debt in the wake of recent health and geopolitical shocks. Infrastructure is built to last decades and it might not work as well with renewable energy sources that don’t have the same storage capacity (yet). The second theme is transforming supply and demand. This means expanding energy access, accelerating fuel switching, and securing energy systems for a low-carbon future. It also addresses the planned, just phase-down of extraction, pipelines, and refineries, and redirecting fossil fuel subsidies toward clean alternatives.

The third theme is advancing international cooperation within and beyond global climate governance. The discussion will include Investor-State Dispute Settlement provisions. These appear in over 2,500 investment treaties and give foreign investors the right to sue governments over policies that affect their profits, including legitimate climate measures. The threat has a chilling effect. Governments hesitate to regulate or phase out fossil fuel assets that could trigger costly arbitration claims.

The Conference does not seek to deliver a negotiated outcome, but rather to generate shared understanding and actionable guidance that can help accelerate a just, orderly, and equitable transition away from fossil fuels. The Conference is expected to produce a report identifying enabling pathways for implementing a just, orderly, and equitable transition away from fossil fuels, that could serve as an input for the roadmap being prepared by the UNFCCC Brazilian Presidency of the thirtieth meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP30).

The Conference takes place from 24 to 29 April 2026 in Santa Marta, Colombia. The organizers invited 97 national governments and 30 subnational governments. The High-level Segment convenes on 28-29 April 2026.

To follow the progress of the conference, you can subscribe to IISD Earth Negotiations Bulletin here.

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