Climate Summit in Colombia: Nearly 60 Countries Commit to Fossil Fuel Phase-Out Roadmaps
Fiona Harvey
Nearly 60 countries at a landmark climate summit in Colombia have agreed to create voluntary national roadmaps to end the production and use of coal, oil, and gas, marking a new step in the fight against climate change. The initiative, co-hosted by Colombia and the Netherlands, aims to break the deadlock at United Nations climate summits. Key details include France becoming the first developed nation to announce such a roadmap, and a focus on supporting poorer countries.
A landmark climate summit in Santa Marta, Colombia, concluded with nearly 60 countries committing to develop national “roadmaps” for phasing out fossil fuels. The initiative, co-hosted by Colombia and the Netherlands, was organized to break the deadlock seen at United Nations climate summits.
Under the plan, countries will create voluntary roadmaps detailing how they will end the production and consumption of coal, oil, and gas. Unlike existing climate commitments under the Paris Agreement (NDCs), which focus solely on domestic emissions, these new roadmaps will also include the climate impact of fossil fuel exports.
“We decided not to resign ourselves to an economy built on the destruction of life,” said Irene Vélez Torres, Colombia’s Minister of Environment and conference chair. “We decided the transition away from fossil fuels cannot just be a slogan; it must become a concrete political and collective effort.”
The 59 participating countries, dubbed the “coalition of the willing,” account for more than half of global GDP, nearly a third of global energy demand, and one-fifth of fossil fuel supply. However, major emitters including the U.S., China, India, Russia, and oil-producing nations like Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the UAE did not attend. The summit called on more countries to join.
France became the first developed nation to announce a national fossil fuel phase-out roadmap during the summit week. Colombia also published a draft roadmap and established a scientific council to advise countries. “Countries will move at different speeds—we allow for this and recognize that each country has its own starting point and challenges,” stressed Stientje van Veldhoven, Netherlands Minister for Climate and Green Growth.
Delegates also agreed to support poorer countries with expertise in developing roadmaps, monitoring fossil fuel subsidies, cooperating on trade policies, and financial reform—including helping vulnerable nations manage debt and mobilize capital for the transition.
A second summit is slated for early next year on the Pacific island nation of Tuvalu, co-hosted by Ireland. “We encourage governments to draft roadmaps before the next conference, because if you come without a concrete plan, you miss the opportunity. But ultimately, they are voluntary,” said Maina Talia, Tuvalu’s Minister of Home Affairs, Climate, and Environment.
The Santa Marta summit emerged from frustration with annual U.N. climate talks, where consensus rules often allow fossil fuel interests to block direct discussion on phasing out coal, oil, and gas. Nonetheless, attending governments said they will coordinate closely within the U.N. framework at the COP31 conference this November.
Tzeporah Berman, founder of the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty Initiative, praised the outcome: “Santa Marta represents a historic breakthrough—for the first time, we have assembled a group of countries willing to act. We are building a coalition of ambitious nations ready to lead and break the consensus deadlock that has paralyzed concrete action on fossil fuels in U.N. talks.”
