Santa Marta Conference

From April 24 to April 29, 2026, the First Global Conference on Transitioning Away from Fossil Fuels will take place in Santa Marta, Colombia. The conference is co-hosted by Colombia and the Netherlands and it is structured in two segments to allow broad participation from governments, Indigenous Peoples, workers, civil society, and the private sector. The conference is a sustained political platform for countries ready to deliver implementation-driven action toward an orderly phase-out of fossil fuels. Its goal is to identify enabling pathways for a progressive and equitable transition away from fossil fuels. The work will be organised around three thematic pillars: overcoming economic dependence, transforming supply and demand, and advancing international cooperation and climate diplomacy.

As the International Court of Justice (ICJ) affirmed in its climate change advisory opinion, States have a legal obligation to shift their reliance on fossil fuels, and the Santa Marta conference provides the practical space to translate those duties into action. The forum is designed to deepen democratic climate governance through horizontal dialogue. Thus, ensuring that the perspectives of those at different stages of the transition directly inform the way forward. By focusing on shared understanding and actionable guidance, the conference helps States and stakeholders to actually deliver the economic and social strategies required for a just phase-out. It is an important step to ensure that the transition aligns with the human rights protections and legal standards highlighted by the ICJ.