REPORT: FIRST INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON THE TRANSITION AWAY FROM FOSSIL FUELS

From 24 to 29 April 2026 Colombia and the Netherlands organized the first Conference on Transitioning Away from Fossil Fuels. The conference, hosted in Santa Marta, convened 57 countries and more than 1000 stakeholders to advance global commitments made under the Paris Agreement. Over the course of five days, countries and representatives from 14 groups created a safe space for dialogue on how to advance a just, orderly, and equitable transition away from fossil fuels. 

The next steps in the Santa Marta process will bring this vision to life and prepare for the second Conference on Transitioning Away from Fossil Fuels in 2027. The second conference is testament to the sustained commitment to deliver, which was evident from all participants. Together with the next co-hosts, Tuvalu and Ireland, Colombia and the Netherlands will ensure these next steps follow the same spirit as the Santa Marta conference itself: open, inclusive, constructive. The coordination group that comprises the four co-hosts will help to strengthen connections and avoid duplication. They will connect with countries leading different alliances and initiatives that are implementing elements of the transition, and with the COP30 Activation Group ‘Transitioning away from fossil fuels in a just, orderly and equitable manner. With science as its anchor, the group will work to sustain momentum throughout the year, ensure complementarity with UNFCCC and other existing frameworks, and identify areas where additional action is needed. The three workstreams that were announced at the end of the conference will be launched at the end of July, bringing avenues for continued engagement, deeper analysis, and joint action.