METHODOLOGY

The Santa Marta Process aims to scale up international cooperation among states and non-state actors and will enable widespread participation. Between now and the 2nd Conference, national and subnational governments, Indigenous Peoples and other sectors will have the opportunity to engage and contribute to the technical and political discussions.

  • Stylized logo with interconnected geometric shapes on a blue circular background

    Overcoming economic dependence

    Fiscal dependence and public debt

    Productive reconversion without creating new forms of extractivism

    Equitable, shared and historic responsibilities and joint efforts

  • A circular logo with a light blue background and a dark blue design resembling an abstract arrow or leaf in the center.

    Transforming supply and demand

    Supply: Ending expansion of coal, oil and gas production and an equitable, planned and 1.5ºC aligned phase-down and closure of fossil fuel extraction, including environmental liabilities, fair distribution of responsibilities and impacts, cost coverage, stranded asset management.

    Demand: energy access, fuel switching, energy security and sovereignty, phase-out of key demand drivers

    Incentives: phasing out fossil fuel subsidies and scaling renewable energy investment

  • Three stylized arrow shapes in yellow, blue, and dark purple pointing upward, arranged vertically on a white circular background.

    Advancing international cooperation and closing gaps in global governance

    Closing gaps in implementation, governance, and international cooperation

    Scaling international cooperation and finance for the transition

    Addressing international legal barriers, particularly those arising from investor–State dispute settlement (ISDS)

A flowchart titled "Methodological Funnel for the Second International Conference on the Just Transition from Fossil Fuels" with seven steps. Step 1: Written Contributions, Step 2: Technical Synthesis, Step 3: Virtual Dialogues, Step 4: Pre-Conference, Step 5: Sectoral Processes, Step 6: High-Level Segment, Step 7: Conference Outcome. Each step has a brief description.
A flowchart titled "Methodological Funnel for the Second International Conference on the Just Transition from Fossil Fuels" with seven steps. Step 1: Written Contributions, Step 2: Technical Synthesis, Step 3: Virtual Dialogues, Step 4: Pre-Conference, Step 5: Sectoral Processes, Step 6: High-Level Segment, Step 7: Conference Outcome. Each step has a brief description.
Line drawing of a flower with five petals outlined in light blue on a mustard yellow circular background.

Shared Commitments for Participation

The Co-Hosts of the 2nd International Conference on the Just Transition Away from Fossil Fuels invite States to participate in the 2nd Conference and the ongoing Santa Marta process on the basis of aligning with the following principles: 

  • There is a need for accelerated and urgent action on the just transition away from fossil fuels that includes absolute emissions and production decline consistent with the 1.5°C objective, including through ensuring no new expansion of fossil fuel projects;

  • Acknowledging that differentiated timelines will be required as many developing countries face structural barriers to the transition and are not in a position to immediately commit to scaling down fossil fuel extraction. At the same time, a global just transition offers a path beyond fossil fuel dependence, price volatility and stranded asset risk, towards energy sovereignty, economic resilience and new development opportunities;

  • International and South-South cooperation - including through new instruments of international cooperation to articulate shared commitments and enable financial support, debt relief, and mutually beneficial trade arrangements - is critical to ensuring that fossil fuel-dependent developing countries can transition in a way that advances rather than undermines their development and enables universal access to clean, reliable energy;

  • There is a need to scale down fossil fuel production, consumption, licences and subsidies at the national and international level;

  • National and international fossil fuel phase out plans that address both production and emissions are critical to ensuring a 1.5°C-aligned transition;

  • Public spending, central banking policy, trade policy, sovereign wealth funds and public pension funds need to be aligned with the need for accelerated action on fossil fuel phase out;

  • Phasing out fossil fuel subsidies is critical, including through transparent publishing of an inventory of fossil fuel subsidies;

  • Countries participating in the Santa Marta Process should adopt a shared commitment to advance these actions, both domestically and internationally, in cooperation with others over time.

1st Conference on Transitioning Away from Fossil Fuels in Santa Marta

From 24 to 29 April 2026, Colombia and the Netherlands co-hosted the 1st Conference on Transitioning Away from Fossil Fuels. The conference, held in the coal port city of Santa Marta, convened 57 countries and more than 1000 representatives of key sectors and non-state actors to advance the transition away from fossil fuels. Over the course of five days, countries and representatives from 14 sectors created a historic platform for dialogue and action on advancing a just, orderly, and equitable transition away from fossil fuels.

A panel discussion on stage with eight speakers, including men and women, in front of a large presentation screen. Audience members are seated and standing, some taking photos or videos, in a conference room decorated with flags and banners promoting social prosperity and sustainable development.
A panel discussion on stage with eight speakers, including men and women, in front of a large presentation screen. Audience members are seated and standing, some taking photos or videos, in a conference room decorated with flags and banners promoting social prosperity and sustainable development.
Learn more about the Santa Marta outcomes, pathways, and 10-point plan

Sectors

  • Two men in formal attire attending a conference, wearing microphones and traditional beaded necklaces. The man on the left is wearing a blue suit with a blue tie, and the man on the right has a headpiece made of woven material. People are seated behind them.

    National Governments

  • A large conference room filled with people seated at tables with laptops, and a stage with speakers and flags, in Colombia.

    Subnational Governments

  • Man wearing a colorful feather headdress, sitting in a room with blurred people in the background.

    Indigenous Peoples

  • A man wearing glasses and a patterned shirt is giving a presentation, holding a microphone in his right hand and gesturing with his left hand. Behind him, a projection screen displays a slide with text and diagrams related to soil formation and environmental processes. An El Salvador flag is positioned to his left.

    Academics

  • Women at a conference wearing headsets and taking notes.

    Afro-Descendant Peoples

  • Two young women standing together, both holding paper cutouts with floral and animal illustrations, in an indoor setting with brown walls.

    Children and Youth

  • A woman receiving a card from a man at a registration or check-in table outside. The woman has long dark hair and is smiling, wearing a patterned blouse. The man has gray hair, glasses, and is wearing a white shirt with a black strap. Several people are in the background, and there are green plants and a concrete structure nearby.

    Faith Communities

  • A woman with curly black hair, wearing glasses and a yellow shirt, is holding a microphone and speaking at a conference or seminar. There is a presentation screen behind her with text in Spanish.

    Health Professionals

  • Two men with dark hair and medium to dark skin tones are sitting in blue chairs, writing in notebooks during a conference or meeting. One man is wearing a light blue striped shirt and the other is wearing a light blue shirt. A person in a green and white patterned dress is standing behind them.

    NGOs & Social Movements

  • Five people sitting on a panel at a discussion or conference, with the woman on the right holding a microphone and speaking, while the others listen or take notes.

    Parliamentarians

  • Woman reading from a book into a microphone during a discussion, with another woman listening attentively in the background.

    Farming & Peasant Communities

  • People attending a conference sitting in chairs, including a man in a cream suit, a woman with long dark hair in a white shirt, a man in a white shirt with a logo, and a woman with glasses and a notepad, with cameras and a speaker in the background.

    Private Sector

  • A woman with curly hair, wearing a blue dress with animal designs, speaking into a microphone at a conference. A woman in glasses and a white shirt with a name tag and an indigenous necklace is in the background.

    Social Movements

  • An elderly woman with gray hair and glasses, wearing a blue shirt, is speaking and gesturing with her hands at a table during a discussion or meeting. Next to her, another elderly woman with white hair and glasses, wearing a light blue top, is taking notes. There is a man in the background looking at his phone.

    Trade Unions

  • Two women with dark curly hair looking at a laptop, with one woman wearing a blue and white patterned shirt and the other wearing a black shirt and necklace, in an indoor setting.

    Women and Diversities

Read Sector Outcomes from Santa Marta