59 Nations Draft Plans to Phase Out Fossil Fuels

Frustrated by decades of slow progress at UN climate talks, 59 countries gathered in Colombia this week to do something different: actually plan how to end fossil fuel use.

The two-day conference in Santa Marta produced a historic commitment. Each participating nation agreed to develop voluntary roadmaps showing exactly how they'll phase out coal, oil, and gas production and consumption.

Colombia's environment minister Irene Vélez Torres didn't mince words. "We decided that the transition away from fossil fuels could no longer remain a slogan but must become a concrete, political and collective endeavor," she said.

What makes this coalition special is who showed up. Almost half the participating countries currently produce fossil fuels, and they're willing to plan how to wind down that production. France became the first developed nation to release its roadmap during the conference.

The group represents more than half of global GDP and nearly a third of worldwide energy demand. Missing from the table were major emitters like the US, China, India, Russia, and oil-rich nations like Saudi Arabia and Qatar.

Stientje van Veldhoven, the Netherlands' climate minister and co-host, emphasized flexibility. Countries can move at different speeds based on their unique challenges and starting points. There's no one-size-fits-all timeline.

The Ripple Effect

This new approach tackles a gap in current climate agreements. Under the Paris Agreement, countries report only their domestic emissions. That lets fossil fuel producers ignore the climate impact when other nations burn their exports.

The coalition committed to supporting poorer countries with expertise to develop their roadmaps. They'll also work together on tackling debt, reforming trade policy, and raising money to fund the transition.

Pacific island nations, on the frontlines of rising seas despite contributing almost nothing to global emissions, are pushing for urgency. Tuvalu's environment minister Maina Talia hopes countries arrive at the next conference with concrete plans ready. "If they come without concrete roadmaps, we are losing an opportunity," he said.

The group will meet again early next year in Tuvalu, co-hosted by Ireland. They plan to work within the UN system to bring momentum to November's Cop31 climate conference.

Environmental activist Tzeporah Berman called Santa Marta "a historic breakthrough." For the first time, countries willing to act are building their own coalition instead of waiting for consensus from nations blocking progress.

Sixty countries just proved that waiting for everyone to agree isn't the only path forward.