Petro Warns Fossil-Fuel Capitalism Leads to Barbarism at Global Transition Conference

Colombian President Gustavo Petro told delegates at the First Conference on Transitioning Away from Fossil Fuels in Santa Marta on Tuesday that the current fossil-fuel-driven capitalist model is ‘suicidal’ and is steering the world toward ‘barbarism’ and ‘fascism.’ He framed the issue as both economic and political.

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The three-day summit in Santa Marta brought together representatives from more than 50 nations to discuss phasing out coal, oil, and gas, and to explore renewable-energy expansion, subsidy reform, and financing mechanisms for a rapid energy transition.

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Petro warned that inertia in the fossil-fuel sector ‘leads to death’ and signaled a slide toward authoritarianism. Vanuatu’s climate minister Ralph Regenvanu reported that rising sea levels and soaring energy costs have accelerated the country’s solar and electric-vehicle rollout. French climate envoy Benoit Faraco outlined France’s plan to become a European renewable-electricity exporter, describing the ambition to act as an ‘electricity Saudi Arabia.’ Tzeporah Berman of the Fossil Fuel Treaty Initiative highlighted that debt pressures force many Global-South producers to maintain fossil-fuel output. Leo Roberts of E3G called for a systematic overhaul of the $1.5 trillion annual fossil-fuel subsidy pool to fund transition projects.

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Petro linked continued fossil-fuel capitalism to the erosion of democratic norms, suggesting that barbarism can precede fascism. For developing economies, debt-driven fossil-fuel expansion threatens climate goals and political stability, underscoring the need for equitable financing and subsidy reallocation.

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Observers noted that the summit concluded without new financial commitments for the Global South. Critics argue that without substantial debt relief or dedicated climate financing, many vulnerable nations cannot realistically shift away from fossil fuels, leaving the transition under-funded. Moreover, while subsidy reform was discussed, no concrete mechanism to redirect the $1.5 trillion in subsidies was agreed upon, creating a gap between rhetoric and actionable policy.

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• “And barbarism is the prelude to, or the very essence of, fascism.” — Gustavo Petro, President of Colombia

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• “the decision on EVs was directly stimulated by the crisis.” — Ralph Regenvanu, Minister for Climate Change, Vanuatu

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• “We want to be the electricity Saudi Arabia of Europe, selling green electrons to the UK, Ireland, Germany, and other countries.” — Benoit Faraco, French Climate Envoy

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• “It is a space where conversations can take place about, for instance, subsidy reform,” — Leo Roberts, E3G think tank

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Stakeholders say upcoming negotiations will aim to channel subsidy savings into climate-finance mechanisms and explore debt-relief options for the Global South. The success of these efforts will depend on binding commitments from wealthy nations and multilateral bodies.

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