Can Countries Create a Roadmap for Ditching Fossil Fuels?

The article focuses on the first international conference on phasing out fossil fuels, held in Santa Marta, Colombia, with participation from over 50 countries representing one-third of global fossil fuel demand and one-fifth of production. Co-hosted by Colombia and the Netherlands, the conference aims to address the root cause of climate change by fostering international cooperation on fossil fuel phase-out, a topic largely absent from previous United Nations climate summits. Discussions include overcoming barriers such as investor-state dispute settlement systems and trade agreements that encourage fossil fuel reliance, with the goal of establishing formal negotiations for a binding Fossil Fuel Treaty within a year. While major emitters like the U.S., Russia, India, and China are absent, the conference provides a platform for willing countries to develop national transition roadmaps and advance global climate action.