Government ministers and officials from close to 60 countries are on the ground in Santa Marta for the high-level discussions at the First Conference on Transitioning Away from Fossil Fuels.

On Monday, at events scattered across the Colombian coal-port city, some ministers began drawing up a shopping list of policies that could emerge from the gathering.

Maina Vakafua Talia, climate minister of Tuvalu, the Pacific island state set to host the second fossil fuel phase-out summit next year, said Santa Marta could mark a “turning point”, but that it must reflect the views of the most vulnerable countries and unlock finance for them.

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Meanwhile, a group of 18 nations – made up mostly of small island states and the host country Colombia – called on the summit to recognise the “urgent need to negotiate a new international instrument” for leaving coal, oil and gas beneath the ground. 

They are pushing for the conference to back a formal negotiation process for a binding “Fossil Fuel Treaty” and to make progress on new mechanisms for international cooperation and finance, including an importers-exporters club, a global just transition fund and a debt resolution facility. 

Teresa Anderson, global lead on climate justice for ActionAid International, said UN climate talks are still essential to ensure all countries act together to tackle global warming. But, she added, “a new Treaty can act as a parallel and complementary space for those that want to move faster in key areas such as phasing out fossil fuels, just transitions and debt justice, without first having to get sign-off from all nations.”

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As co-organiser of the Santa Marta conference, the Netherlands’ climate minister Stientje van Veldhoven said she hoped it “will accelerate the transition in many countries”, possibly resulting in climate plans that not only boost renewables but actually phase out fossil fuels. Countries representing 30% of global GDP and 30% of fossil fuel consumption are attending, she noted.

Van Veldhoven said the discussions at Santa Marta could hopefully be “fed into the COP process”, but that countries here must first identify where they could deliver “big wins” internationally.

Aside from a summary report and a statement from the co-chairs, the expected outcomes from Santa Marta’s high-level debates remain unclear. While this is a source of anxiety for some delegates, others say it’s a breath of fresh air compared with the rigid format of COPs.

Climate Home News will be reporting on the high-level segment of the conference on April 28 and 29, which starts at 9 am Colombia time. Please check back for updates throughout the day.

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Santa Marta: Ministers grapple with practicalities of fossil fuel phase-out