First Conference on the Transition Away from Fossil Fuels
Santa Marta, Colombia | 24–29 April 2026
Overview
The inaugural international Conference on Transitioning Away From Fossil Fuels concluded in Santa Marta, Colombia, establishing a new international platform focused explicitly on accelerating the global transition away from fossil fuels. Bringing together representatives from 57 countries alongside civil society, Indigenous Peoples, academics, workers, and international organisations, the conference marked one of the clearest political efforts to operationalise the commitment made at COP28 to transition away from fossil fuels in energy systems.
The conference was framed not as a one-off diplomatic event, but as the beginning of an ongoing country-led process. Participants agreed that the next conference will be co-hosted by Ireland and Tuvalu, reinforcing the central role islands are expected to play in shaping the political and practical dimensions of the transition.
The process emerging from Santa Marta will focus on three core workstreams:
Developing comprehensive national and regional transition roadmaps
Aligning cross-border trade and economic policies
Addressing financial architecture barriers, including debt, subsidies, and fiscal dependence on fossil fuels
The International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) will support the finance-related workstream.
What Was Agreed
A Continued International Process
One of the conference’s most significant outcomes was agreement to continue and expand the coalition established in Santa Marta. Governments committed to maintaining momentum through regular future conferences and technical cooperation between meetings.
Ireland and Tuvalu announced they will co-host the second conference, described as a deliberate partnership between two island nations from different regions committed to ensuring equity remains central to the transition process.
Transition Roadmaps as a Core Mechanism
A major theme throughout the conference was the development of national and regional transition roadmaps. Delegates recognised that while countries may differ on timelines and implementation pathways, there is broad acceptance that coordinated planning is now necessary.
Roadmaps discussed in Santa Marta were framed as more than emissions reduction strategies. Participants emphasised that credible plans must also address:
Economic diversification
Employment and labour transitions
Public revenue replacement
Political and institutional barriers
Community participation and equity
There was strong support for connecting roadmap development to the UNFCCC process and the second Global Stocktake.
Fossil Fuel Subsidy Reform
Governments repeatedly identified fossil fuel subsidies as a major barrier to transition. Discussions focused on how subsidy reform could improve energy security, reduce fiscal pressure, and redirect public finance toward clean energy systems.
The Coalition on Phasing Out Fossil Fuel Incentives Including Subsidies (COFFIS) featured prominently throughout the conference. The Marshall Islands announced its new role as co-chair of the coalition, while countries were encouraged to produce fossil fuel subsidy inventories before the next conference.
Delegates stressed that short-term responses to energy price shocks should protect households without locking in long-term fossil fuel dependence.
Financial Architecture and Debt
A recurring concern was the fiscal vulnerability many fossil fuel-dependent economies face during transition. Academic and policy discussions highlighted how declining fossil fuel revenues could create serious budgetary and debt pressures, particularly for exporter states.
Participants called for:
Increased concessional finance
Debt relief mechanisms
Technical assistance
International coordination on fiscal transition planning
The discussion linked climate transition directly to broader reform of the international financial system.
Investor–State Dispute Settlement (ISDS)
One of the more notable developments was the growing attention given to investor–state dispute settlement (ISDS) mechanisms. Delegates discussed how ISDS provisions in trade and investment treaties can be used by fossil fuel companies to challenge or delay climate policies.
Santa Marta marked one of the first major climate-focused international forums where ISDS emerged as a central structural issue in transition politics. Participants called for governments to examine pathways to reduce exposure to fossil fuel-related ISDS claims.
Energy Security and Price Volatility
The conference took place during a period of elevated fossil fuel price volatility, shaping many of the discussions.
Governments frequently linked dependence on fossil fuels to:
Exposure to global price shocks
Fiscal instability
Geopolitical vulnerability
Energy insecurity
As a result, the transition away from fossil fuels was often framed not only as a climate necessity but also as a strategy for long-term economic resilience and national security.
Island State Engagement
Island states and climate-vulnerable countries played a visible role throughout the conference and in shaping the direction of the process moving forward.
The announcement that Ireland and Tuvalu will co-host the next conference signalled recognition that island nations are likely to remain central political voices in discussions on equity, climate justice, and financial reform.
Tuvalu emphasised that future discussions must confront:
Fossil fuel dependence
Debt vulnerabilities
Structural inequities in the international financial system
The Marshall Islands also strengthened island representation within the subsidy reform agenda through its leadership role in COFFIS.
The broader framing of the conference strongly aligned with longstanding island priorities around resilience, justice, adaptation financing, and inclusive climate governance.
