More than 50 governments are expected to participate in the first international conference on the gradual elimination of fossil fuels, taking place in the city of Santa Marta, Colombia on April 28 (local time).
The event lasted 2 days, gathering ministers and climate envoys in the context of the Iran conflict and global energy crisis. The conference took place outside the framework of the United Nations climate negotiations, reflecting an increasing dissatisfaction with the progress of handling the issue of fossil fuels, the main cause of climate change.
Ms. Rachel Kyte, UK climate envoy, said that the parties involved could focus on discussing without arguing about the necessity of transition. As delegations arrived, many climate activists and indigenous communities protested against fossil fuels in the seaport area.
The conference is not expected to create binding commitments. A scientific council proposed that governments consider stopping the expansion of exploitation and infrastructure related to fossil fuels. The discussions also included ways to reduce production and consumption equity, as well as subsidy reforms that are hindering investment in renewable energy.
The list of participants includes major fuel producers such as Canada, Norway, Australia, and developing countries such as Nigeria, Angola, Brazil. The European Union, Turkey and island nations vulnerable to climate change also participate. The United States, China, India and Gulf countries do not participate.
The organizers believe that the Iran-related conflict has highlighted the instability of fossil fuels. According to analysis, public spending in this sector is still five times higher than renewable energy.
Scientist Carlos Nobre emphasized that there is no basis for expanding new exploration. He warned that existing fuel is also sufficient to push global temperatures up by about 2.5 degrees Celsius by 2050, while the current increase is already about 1.4 degrees Celsius compared to the pre-industrial period.
