Nations convene to phase out fossil fuels

What's happened

A conference in Santa Marta has convened over 50 countries from April 24–29 to build roadmaps for phasing out coal, oil and gas. The meeting has been prompted by a global energy shock from the Iran war and Strait of Hormuz disruption, and is focusing on renewables, energy security and finance while major producers are absent.

What's behind the headline?

What is actually happening

• Governments, subnational authorities and experts are meeting in Santa Marta to produce practical roadmaps for replacing coal, oil and gas with renewables and electrification.
• The convening has been prompted by a new energy shock: Iran has been closing and disrupting flows through the Strait of Hormuz, causing price spikes and pressing energy-security concerns.

Who is driving the agenda

• Colombia and the Netherlands are driving the political space outside the UN framework, creating a "coalition of the willing" that includes both fossil producers (Nigeria, Mexico, Brazil, Angola) and import-dependent states.
• An independent science panel is being formed, chaired by global experts, to deliver country and sector milestones aligned with 1.5°C scenarios.

The core tension

• Short-term energy security pressures are forcing countries to choose between increasing domestic fossil supply (including coal) and accelerating renewables. This conference is resolving that tension in favour of planning the transition, but not by binding commitments.

What will happen next

• The Santa Marta recommendations will feed into UN processes and COP31 negotiations in Turkey; they will increase political pressure on countries that have avoided explicit fossil-fuel discussions.
• Financial bottlenecks will remain decisive: without major reform of international finance and debt relief, developing fossil exporters will not be able to scale renewables quickly.

Why this matters to readers

• Fuel-price volatility and shortages will continue to hit households and businesses; accelerating renewables and grid upgrades will reduce exposure to those shocks.
• The conference will shift policy debates: countries that are absent from Santa Marta will face growing diplomatic pressure and a clearer alternative coalition shaping climate and energy financing.

How we got here

Frustration with consensus-based U.N. talks has driven Colombia and the Netherlands to host a separate summit to put fossil-fuel phaseout on the table. The meeting has responded to record emissions, rising fuel prices and supply shocks after the U.S.-Israel conflict with Iran closed the Strait of Hormuz.

Our analysis

The coverage is consistent in describing Santa Marta as a politically driven, practical space for phasing out fossil fuels, but each outlet emphasises different drivers and risks. The Associated Press framed the meeting as "opening a space for discussion that does not exist," quoting Colombia's environment minister Irene Vélez Torres saying the summit is not expected to produce binding commitments but will "generate a set of proposals" (AP News, Apr 24). The Guardian (Jonathan Watts and Adam Morton) has highlighted both Colombia's political gamble and the technical support being mobilised: Watts reported the launch of a new science panel chaired by Vera Songwe, Ottmar Edenhofer and Gilberto Jannuzzi to provide "national and sector-level milestones" in line with 1.5°C scenarios (The Guardian, Apr 25). The New York Times (David Gelles, Lisa Friedman) has linked the meeting directly to the current energy shock, noting that the U.S. was not invited and that the Iran war and Strait of Hormuz disruption have pushed some countries toward rethinking imports and, in some cases, toward coal (NYT, Apr 27 & Apr 30). AP and The Independent carried Colombia's line that the crisis should accelerate the transition, with Vélez saying "the movement should be toward radicalizing the green agenda" (The Independent, Apr 17; AP, Apr 24). Business Insider and Politico focused on macroeconomic fallout: Business Insider quoted strategist David Roche warning of prolonged supply disruptions and potential 10% oil-and-gas shortages, and Politico cited IMF/IEA voices saying the war is "redrawing the global energy map" and will force diversification of supply (Business Insider, Apr 23; Politico, Apr 17). The IMF and Al Jazeera reporting on macro forecasts showed the economic effect: the IMF has cut global growth forecasts and raised inflation expectations because of the Strait of Hormuz disruptions (Al Jazeera, Apr 14). Across the sources, direct quotes that stick out are Vélez's assertion that the summit will "open a space for discussion

Go deeper

• Which major emitters are not attending Santa Marta and why does that matter?
• How will countries that rely on fossil-fuel revenue pay for rapid renewable expansion?
• What specific milestones will the new science panel publish and when?

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