Story perspectives

Historic Fossil-Fuel Phase-Out Summit, 60 Nations, Excludes US, China, Saudi

4/25/2026

Center

Nations Phase-out

Greenpeace and WWF called the summit historic, citing Iran-war oil-price spikes and the absence of United States, China, Saudi Arabia.
Around 60 nations met in Santa Marta, Colombia, from April 24-29 to outline concrete steps for a global fossil-fuel phase-out.
Irene Vélez Torres and the Netherlands co-hosted, with Canada, Australia, United Kingdom, Norway and Germany.
The European Commission attended, while organizers will issue a report and launch an advisory panel.

Left

Global South Demands

New report warns soaring Global South debt traps nations in fossil-fuel dependence and urges debt cancellation for a just transition.
Delegates from over 50 nations met in Santa Marta, Colombia, April 24-29 to devise steps away from coal, oil and gas.
The initiative creates a science panel chaired by Vera Songwe, Ottmar Edenhofer and Gilberto Jannuzzi.
Gender inequality deepens as debt-driven extraction harms African women’s health and displacement.

History

Historical Context

Adopted on 11 December 1997, the Kyoto Protocol entered force in February 2005 and bound 37 industrialised nations to cut emissions relative to 1990 levels during its first period (2008-2012). The April 2024 Santa Marta summit, co-hosted by Colombia’s Irene Vélez Torres and the Netherlands, draws on Kyoto’s lesson that legally enforceable targets and financing are essential for a global fossil-fuel phase-out.

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Nations Phase-out

Greenpeace and WWF called the summit historic, citing Iran-war oil-price spikes and the absence of United States, China, Saudi Arabia.
Around 60 nations met in Santa Marta, Colombia, from April 24-29 to outline concrete steps for a global fossil-fuel phase-out.
Irene Vélez Torres and the Netherlands co-hosted, with Canada, Australia, United Kingdom, Norway and Germany.
The European Commission attended, while organizers will issue a report and launch an advisory panel.

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