About 60 countries have gathered in Santa Marta, Colombia, for a first-of-its-kind conference aimed at accelerating a global phaseout of fossil fuels, amid a stalemate in UN climate talks.
The two-day meeting, beginning April 28, brings together ministers and climate envoys seeking practical pathways to cut emissions and transition to clean energy.
Colombia’s environment minister, Irene Vélez Torres, said the conference reflects growing frustration with the slow pace of negotiations under the UN-led COP process.
“These countries represent a new power,” Vélez Torres said. “We are focusing on solutions that do not depend on the biggest emitters.”
Major greenhouse gas producers, including the United States, China and Russia, are not attending the talks, raising questions about the impact of any outcomes.
However, Vélez Torres dismissed concerns over their absence.
“We are not waiting for binding agreements. We are waiting for solutions,” she said, adding that participating countries represent nearly half of the global population.
The conference aims to launch a scientific panel to guide energy transition strategies and produce a report to inform future COP discussions.
Organisers say the initiative will help countries develop roadmaps to reduce reliance on coal, oil and gas, while strengthening collaboration among governments, civil society and industry.
Colombia, itself a major oil and coal producer, says it is pursuing a gradual transition, with policies to halt new hydrocarbon contracts and expand renewable energy.
Officials say outcomes from the meeting will feed into global climate discussions ahead of upcoming COP summits.
