Colombia and Netherlands Lead Global Talks to Transition Away from Fossil Fuels
The world's first Transitioning Away from Fossil Fuels conference is being co-hosted by Colombia and the Netherlands in Santa Marta, Colombia, from April 24 to 29. This event brings together a 'coalition of the willing,' comprising 54 countries, subnational governments, civil society groups, and academics, to explore pathways for reducing reliance on fossil fuels and transitioning to low-carbon energy sources. The conference is not a United Nations climate event but rather a separate initiative aimed at overcoming the stalemates often encountered in UN climate talks. The participating countries, which include EU member states, the UK, and several developing nations, represent about a fifth of global fossil fuel production and a third of its demand. Notably absent are major greenhouse gas emitters like China, India, the US, and Russia. The conference aims to address economic dependency on fossil fuels and explore financial and debt relief options for developing countries to facilitate the transition. 
