Global Efforts to End Fossil Fuel Dependence Gain Momentum: New Alliances Push for Climate Action and Energy Transition

More than 50 countries are meeting in Santa Marta, Colombia, for the first International Conference on Transitioning Away From Fossil Fuels (TAFF), aiming to transform global energy systems and accelerate the move away from oil, gas and coal.

The conference, held from April 24 to 29, 2026, has brought together national governments, subnational authorities, and an estimated 2,800 civil society representatives in what organizers describe as a “coalition of the willing” to reinvigorate international efforts to reduce planet-heating emissions.

Colombian hosts presented a draft roadmap for their national energy transition on the opening day, setting a high-ambition tone for discussions on how to eliminate fossil fuel dependence in line with scenarios that limit global heating to 1.5°C by the end of the century.

A new global science panel for energy transition was launched during the event to provide expert advice to policymakers. Modeled partly on the UK’s Climate Change Committee, the panel includes specialists in climate science, economics, and technology who will help countries develop science-based plans to reduce reliance on fossil fuels and manage risks from volatile oil prices, geopolitical conflict, and extreme weather damage.

The conference builds on commitments made at COP28, where governments agreed through the first Global Stocktake to transition away from fossil fuels, triple global renewable energy capacity, and double the rate of energy efficiency improvements by 2030. These measures, combined with cutting methane emissions from the energy sector, are seen as critical to putting the world on a path to phase out fossil fuels and limit warming.

However, analysis from the Climate Action Tracker shows that implementation is lagging: renewable energy deployment remains too slow, energy efficiency gains are insufficient, and investment in new fossil fuel production and infrastructure continues largely unabated. The TAFF conference aims to bridge this gap by turning high-level pledges into concrete national policies and investment decisions.

Civil society groups have also played a prominent role in the lead-up to the event, with over 340 organizations calling for a global coalition to address systemic barriers to climate action, including reforming investor-state dispute settlement mechanisms they argue hinder the energy transition.

As the talks continue through April 29, the focus remains on whether participating nations can move beyond declarations to produce actionable roadmaps that align with 1.5°C-compatible energy pathways and strengthen global cooperation on the phase-out of fossil fuels.