Conference on Transitioning Away From Fossil Fuels

➡️ CONFERENCE ON TRANSITIONING AWAY FROM FOSSIL FUELS (TAFF), 24-29 April 2026 - Charting A Path Beyond Fossil Fuels

Also known as the Santa Marta Conference, this first-of-its-kind conference was co-hosted by Colombia and the Netherlands. With 57 countries in attendance, the talks focused on how to coordinate an international effort to phase out fossil fuels.

The countries present account for one-third of global GDP and have been branded the coalition of the willing. Notably, the U.S. (the world's largest oil consumer) and China (the world's largest coal consumer) were absent (not invited!).

Although the Santa Marta Conference was designed to complement the UN COP Conferences, the idea, spearheaded by the Fossil Fuel Treaty Initiative, was born out of frustration with the lack of action, lobbying, and unwillingness to commit to concrete measures now synonymous with COP.

COP 30 in Belem, 2025 saw 80 countries demonstrate support for phasing out fossil fuels, but no plan for how to make it happen. Historically, the COP Conferences have focused on curbing emissions rather than directly addressing the need to end fossil fuel production.

Scientists, climate experts, activists, and now 57 willing nations all agree that a coordinated and carefully managed fossil fuel phaseout is the only way to reduce climate change, reduce high energy costs for consumers, promote energy security, and reduce conflict and instability directly linked to fossil fuels.

Jump straight to our resources on the ➡️ Santa Marta Conference

Explore our comprehensive guides on -

• The COP30 in Belem 2025
• The UN Climate Change Conferences (COP)
• The Climate Crisis
• The Energy Transition
• Fossil Fuel Companies
• Climate Denial & Greenwashing
• Stopping Fossil Fuel Subsidies
• Divestment From Fossil Fuels
• Renewable Energy
• Oil, Gas & Coal

*****

What Are The Main Barriers To The Energy Transition?

If the vast majority of nations agree that we must phase out fossil fuels, then why haven’t we already started to do so? Despite international climate goals, fossil fuel production continues to increase.

Emissions from coal, oil, and gas production all reached new highs in 2025. Driven by rising consumption, 17 of the 20 major producing countries plan to increase production of at least one fossil fuel by 2030.

One of the main barriers at the COP Conferences is the need for consensus. All countries must agree before an action plan can be put in place. These efforts, of course, are derailed by petro-states such as Saudi Arabia and Russia, which consistently block climate action to serve their own financial interests.

Even though the renewable sector is rapidly expanding, fossil fuels still account for approximately 80-82% of the world's energy consumption. Oil, gas, and coal are responsible for over 75% of global greenhouse gas emissions.

The war in Iran and the resulting closure of the Strait of Hormuz, which handles roughly 20% of global oil and liquefied natural gas traffic, have demonstrated the severe vulnerabilities of our global dependence on fossil fuels. Experts have described it as the largest energy supply disruption since the 1970s.

The immediate supply reduction sent oil prices surging to $140 per barrel, exacerbating inflation and creating a food security crisis. It is very clear that reducing our dependence on fossil fuels is critical, yet we still aren’t doing it.

In 2022, global fossil fuel subsidies reached $7 trillion, equivalent to 7.1% of GDP. Following the rise in energy prices due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, subsidies have been on the rise to compensate for the increasingly inefficient industry.

Without serious reform, subsidies are expected to reach to $8.2 trillion by 2030. Due to escalating costs, subsidies protect consumers by artificially keeping the price of coal, oil, and gas low, but they lead to overconsumption, drain government budgets, diminish investment into the renewable sector, create energy insecurity, and cause widespread ecological damage.

We simply must stop propping up this industry, end massive tax relief, and close loopholes in overseas finance supporting fossil fuels. There must be a clear pathway to end negative financial flows into fossil fuels.

These subsidies merely serve to delay the switch to clean alternatives, which already face a severe funding gap. The energy transition needs approximately $2.2 trillion - $3 trillion in additional annual investment to meet 2050 net-zero goals.

The conference identified other major barriers such as ‘fiscal dependencies, debt constraints, the dependence of the financial architecture on fossil fuels and the need to enable fossil fuels-free trade systems’ all of which are preventing nations from taking greater steps towards the transition.

Away from the COP Conferences and the army of fossil fuel lobbyists they attract, contributions from civil society, indigenous groups, and scientists were actually heard. In the past 4 years, over 5,000 lobbyists were granted high-level access to the COPs; their job is to influence policy, promote industry interests, and slow action on a fossil fuel phase-out.

It is clear that phasing out fossil fuels cannot be overcome through national action alone. It is only when countries act collectively that meaningful action can take place.

Key Takeaways From The First Conference

Led by Colombian President Gustavo Petro, the conference saw many significant advances. One of the most important developments was the official launch of the Science Panel for the Global Energy Transition.

The purpose of this panel is to provide countries with specific guidance on direct actions to meet the 1.5°C goals and to help them overcome legal, financial, and political barriers. This move represents a significant shift from negotiation to implementation.

While the conference never intended to produce a negotiated declaration, it has promised to deliver a summary report of prioritised solutions. These will be focused on the following three pillars:

• Overcoming dependence on fossil fuels
• Transforming supply and demand
• Advancing international cooperation

It was agreed that one energy source cannot be replaced with another; a broader economic transformation is needed. Plans to reduce dependence on fossil fuels must consider structural dependencies, debt constraints, energy access, and resilience.

The conference made clear that workers, communities, and marginalised groups will be at the heart of the transition. It must be fair, rights-based, and benefit wider society as a whole.

It was agreed that decarbonising economic, trade and energy systems is the best path forward to create societies which are more equitable, stable and resilient.

There are no specific details as yet, but one methodology is to allow countries to lead different alliances and initiatives to enable greater progress and then promote collaboration to expand this progress across the board.

Greater cooperation will enable pooled transition financing and capacity-building. It will also support greater North–South and South–South cooperation on technology and knowledge sharing.

All efforts will be complementary to the UNFCCC and their existing frameworks. Their conference report will be sent to the COP30 Presidency to help build their roadmap. The Conference plans on working alongside all COP presidencies to align with the Global Climate Action Agenda and to channel the second Global Stocktake.

Participants stressed the importance of moving from fiscal lock-in and debt-constrained fiscal spaces to sovereign transition capacity. This would give nations a greater ability to plan, finance, and implement changes to a low-carbon, climate-resilient economy while reducing the economic risks associated with climate change.

Ideas include debt-for-climate swaps, greater oversight of fossil fuel assets, and diversification of revenue sources, such as taxation. There is a great need to reform national fossil rents, fossil-related revenue, fossil fuel-related incentives, taxes, and windfall profits.

We must also ensure that extractive industries for the new green economy coincide with new local value chains and economic diversification, as well as coordinated international investment. Decentralised energy systems were highlighted as a good example of new, community-led sustainable energy production.

The conference highlighted the need for a future-proof electricity grid, connecting the issues of the climate crisis, energy security, affordability, sovereignty, and industrial transformation. The transition is not limited only to energy but also to transport, buildings, industry, tourism, freight, petrochemicals, fertilisers, and food.

Cooperation must also extend to transboundary grid integration, which would provide mutual support for infrastructure, financing, and technology.

Regarding the phaseout of fossil fuel extraction, discussions focused on how to manage this in a fair and politically viable way. Ideas included closure plans, fossil-fuel-free zones, halting the issuance of new extraction licenses, asset management, and the fair distribution of closure costs. The Coalition on Phasing Out of Fossil Fuel Incentives Including Subsidies (COFFIS) is ready to support countries taking the first steps.

Subsidy reform and closure of fossil fuel production sites must go hand in hand with financial incentives for cleaner alternatives and ensure a balance of energy supply and demand.

What Is Next For The TAFF?

The 2026 conference was dubbed a ‘safe space’ for like-minded governments to come together, focus on action, and support each other in the transition away from fossil fuels. It set in motion the beginnings of a realistic action-oriented course.

The conference proceeded without the hindrance of major fossil fuel producers and consumers such as the U.S., China, India, and Russia, as well as industry lobbyists, allowing for candid discussions focused on real change.

The second Conference on Transitioning Away has already been planned for 2027 and will be co-hosted by Tuvalu and Ireland. Tuvalu is one of the most vulnerable nations to rising sea levels, with 95% of its landmass predicted to be underwater by 2100. The TAFF will continue to strengthen cooperation between the coalition of the willing and take stock of their progress so far.

Global growth in renewable energy is surging. The worldwide capacity in 2025 was almost 50% higher than in 2023. Nearly all new energy demand is met through renewables. This is the proof that a clean energy transition is possible.

This new era of international cooperation helps to limit the political and economic risk of acting alone, and puts huge weight on the world to finally commit to phasing out fossil fuels.

Author: Rachael Mellor, 11.05.26 licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0

For further reading on the Santa Marta Conference see below ⬇️