First Conference on Transitioning Away from Fossil Fuels.

The first Conference on Transitioning Away from Fossil Fuels will be hosted by Colombia and The Netherlands from the 24^th to the 29^th of April 2026 in Santa Marta, Colombia, following COP30 last November.

One of the most contentious outcomes from the 30^th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP30) under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), held in Belém, Brazil in November 2025, was the absence of a formal commitment to transition away from fossil fuels within the Belém Political Package – the set of 56 frameworks, initiatives, and decisions adopted by 195 parties. Despite intense negotiations and threats from some delegations to block agreement without a fossil fuel phase-out roadmap, the final text omitted any explicit references to phasing out fossil fuels.

The COP30 President André Corrêa do Lago, as a result, announced that the COP30 Presidency will develop a voluntary, non-binding roadmap to transition away from fossil fuels outside the formal UNFCCC consensus process. To accelerate this work and to address the gap in dialogue, a coalition of countries also announced plans for a separate Conference on Transitioning away from Fossil Fuels. This Conference was welcomed and encouraged by the COP30 Presidency. Both initiatives will work in parallel to result in a robust document that provides ambitious pathways and actions while contributing to the upcoming COP31.

The Conference is now about to take place, with 53 nations participating and 2,608 organisations including NGOs, academia, private sector, and others considering participation. However, contrary to UNFCCC’s COP, this Conference will select participants based on a set of important criteria to ensure they align with its key objective: to facilitate the transition away from fossil fuels.

What is this conference?

While this Conference emerged from the momentum of COP30, it operates entirely outside of the UNFCCC framework. This independence is critical and strategic as it allows participation, discussions, and decision-making to bypass the consensus-based procedures of the UNFCCC that is argued to have been compromised by corporate influence. The necessity for an alternative procedure was illustrated at COP30 where a record-breaking 1,600 fossil fuel lobbyists secured access to the negotiations - outnumbering countries’ delegations except for Brazil.

As such, this Conference only welcomes actors who will not put at risk a formal agreement and roadmap to transition away from fossil fuels. It states: “Both producer and consumer countries of oil, coal, and gas have been invited to participate. The criteria for selecting these countries include active participation in initiatives or coalitions that demonstrate a commitment to implementing the transition, (…)”

What can we expect from this Conference?

This Conference intends to facilitate dialogue between parties who are ready to adopt actions to accelerate the transition away from fossil fuels. It aims to produce a report outlining actionable pathways for a just, orderly, and equitable transition.

It also hopes to contribute to the Transitioning Away from Fossil Fuels (TAFF) Roadmap by the COP30 Presidency designed to support the implementation of the Belém Political Package and contribute proposals to COP31.  

The six-day dialogue is structured around dedicated sessions for diverse stakeholders, including the academic community, subnational governments, indigenous peoples, the private, and multilateral development banks, amongst others.

Concluding Remarks

The creation of the First Conference proves that the lack of a universal agreement on fossil fuel phase-shout should not halt climate progress. Since the climate crisis will not wait for consensus, this opportunity for dialogue will allow committed actors to access the necessary support and guidance to implement the necessary solutions.  

This Conference proves that the debate should move from whether we should transition away from fossil fuels to how we should.  This moment is key after 30 years of climate negotiations, as it is an acknowledgement of COP insufficiencies in addressing fossil fuels as one of the root causes of climate change, and a potential solution to them. COPs are a useful tool, but their limitations have become obvious – it’s great news that many countries and stakeholders are finally building another layer of ambition on top of COP, this time on their own terms.

Membership bodies are uniquely positioned to serve as a compass for their members on how best to navigate this transition. They can assess industry-wide risks and provide the right solutions. If you are a membership body and are unsure how this looks like for you, Climate Action for Associations (CAFA) provides free resources, guidance, and support. Join CAFA today to facilitate the green transition within your sector.