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As pressure mounts for clearer action on fossil fuels, governments and climate stakeholders are turning to a new platform aimed at accelerating the global energy transition. The First International Conference on the Just Transition Away from Fossil Fuels, scheduled for April 24–29, 2026, in Santa Marta, is emerging as a key moment in efforts to move beyond broad climate pledges toward practical implementation.

Co-hosted by Colombia and the Netherlands, with support from Tuvalu, the conference is expected to convene governments, civil society, Indigenous groups, and industry actors to address one of the most contested areas in climate policy, the phase-out of coal, oil, and gas.

Unlike negotiations under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, the Santa Marta meeting is designed as a complementary, action-oriented forum.

Its focus is on building a “coalition of the willing”, countries ready to advance coordinated steps toward reducing fossil fuel production and use, while ensuring fairness for affected workers and communities.

The choice of Santa Marta as host city carries strong symbolism. Located along Colombia’s Caribbean coast, the city is a major coal export hub in one of the world’s leading coal-producing countries.

Hosting the summit in such a region reflects the broader challenge facing many economies: how to transition away from fossil fuel dependence without deepening social and economic vulnerabilities.

The conference comes against a backdrop of growing frustration over the slow pace of progress in global climate talks. Recent outcomes, including those from COP30, have been criticized for lacking explicit commitments to phase out fossil fuels, despite mounting scientific and political pressure to address the root drivers of the climate crisis.

In response, Santa Marta aims to shift the focus from general emissions targets to concrete strategies for limiting fossil fuel expansion.

Key discussions are expected to explore legal frameworks, financial mechanisms, and governance approaches needed to manage a gradual and equitable decline in production. This includes addressing fossil fuel subsidies, mitigating economic risks such as stranded assets, and supporting workers and communities whose livelihoods depend on the sector.

Participation is expected from around 46 countries, including both fossil fuel producers and non-producers, alongside a wide range of non-state actors. Parallel events, including civil society forums and workers’ gatherings, are also planned to ensure that the transition debate reflects the perspectives of those most directly affected.

At the same time, the absence of some of the world’s largest oil and gas producers underscores the political and economic sensitivities surrounding the fossil fuel phase-out. This highlights the limits of voluntary coalitions, even as they offer space for more ambitious actors to move ahead.

The conference also aligns with broader international efforts, including the Paris Agreement and advocacy around the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty, which call for a managed decline of fossil fuel production. It reflects a growing recognition that meeting global climate goals will require tackling both energy demand and supply.

As countries prepare for the next round of climate negotiations, including COP31, the Santa Marta summit is being positioned as a stepping stone toward more decisive action. Its outcomes, whether new alliances, policy frameworks, or political declarations, could help shape how the global transition unfolds in practice.

Ultimately, the meeting signals a shift in climate diplomacy, where the focus is increasingly moving from long-term ambition to near-term implementation, and from emissions alone to the future of fossil fuel production itself.