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The First Conference for the Transition beyond Fossil Fuels, held in Santa Marta, Colombia, from April 24 to 29, aims to establish practical solutions for phasing out coal, oil, and gas. Co-sponsored by Colombia and the Netherlands, the event brings together at least 45 countries, including major exporters like Canada and Australia, though the largest producers—the US, China, Russia, and Saudi Arabia—are absent. The conference seeks to bypass the consensus-based delays of UN COPs to produce a report for COP30 and COP31, focusing on eliminating fossil fuel subsidies, planning production decline, and increasing renewable energy demand within a just transition framework.

The document outlines structural causes of food insecurity in South Africa, advocating for a just transition through agroecology, a Universal Basic Income Grant, and improved land access for women. It highlights systemic failures in land reform and calls for state budgeting and policy to align with the constitutional right to food.

The statement contends that the global fossil fuel system is inherently violent and volatile, citing 2026 conflicts in the Middle East and Venezuela as evidence. It advocates for the Santa Marta conference as a mechanism to move beyond the industry-influenced COP process to implement concrete actions, such as 'polluters pay' taxes on fossil fuel profits and grant-based climate finance for the Global South. The author asserts that the economic cost of fossil fuel price spikes outweighs the cost of transitioning to net zero, noting that 91% of new renewables projects are now cheaper than fossil fuel alternatives.

The Santa Marta conference on fossil fuel phaseout shifted the global conversation from whether to transition to how to implement it, establishing three workstreams for national roadmaps, financial restructuring, and trade alternatives. While the summit is praised for providing civil society and Indigenous Peoples more direct access to decision-making, the author warns that the process risks becoming 'consultation theatre' unless participation is substantive and roadmaps include accountability mechanisms and the engagement of major emitters.

The Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) advocates for a managed, financed, and equitable fossil fuel phaseout during the First Conference on Transitioning Away from Fossil Fuels in Santa Marta, Colombia. CIEL proposes a binding Fossil Fuel Treaty to fill governance gaps and argues that states have a legal obligation, supported by the International Court of Justice (ICJ), to phase out fossil fuels. Key priorities include dismantling Investor-State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) mechanisms, ending offshore oil and gas licensing, halting petrochemical expansion, and rejecting carbon capture and geoengineering. The document emphasizes that the transition must be funded by the largest cumulative polluters and grounded in human rights and Indigenous leadership.

The Tassiriki Call, adopted in April 2026, outlines a vision for a Fossil Fuel Free Pacific based on 100% renewable energy and the 1.5°C temperature limit. It advocates for a global Fossil Fuel Treaty, scaled-up grant-based finance, and the creation of an Inter-Governmental Taskforce for a Just Transition to a Fossil Fuel Free Pacific. The statement emphasizes the need for a managed decline of fossil fuel production and warns against the use of carbon capture and geoengineering to justify continued production.

The document examines the impact of geothermal energy expansion in Indonesia, specifically projects funded by the World Bank and Asian Development Bank. It details environmental degradation, including water depletion and pollution, and social harms such as health crises, economic losses for farmers, and the criminalization of dissent. The author advocates for a 'Feminist Just Transition' framework to ensure community consent and equity in the energy transition.

The report argues that subnational governments are critical to the global transition away from fossil fuels because extraction facilities, workforces, and communities are located within their jurisdictions. It recommends that these governments diversify local economies, develop time-bound and financed transition roadmaps, and reduce Scope 1 and 2 emissions from existing operations. The document emphasizes that emissions reductions should complement rather than replace the transition away from production. It also advocates for multilevel policy alignment and international cooperation through alliances such as the Beyond Oil and Gas Alliance and the Powering Past Coal Alliance.

The International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) recommends that Australia move away from an outdated bilateral investment treaty (BIT) model that prioritizes investor protection and investor-state dispute settlement. Instead, IISD proposes a reimagined regime where treaties serve as tools for sustainable development, prioritizing investments in climate mitigation, adaptation, and a just transition, while ensuring national law remains the primary regulator.

The document analyzes the tension between Nigeria's 'Renewed Hope' National Development Plan (NDP) 2026-2030 and its Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC 3.0). It highlights a historical coupling of economic growth and carbon emissions, where a 1% GDP increase has led to a 3.11% rise in emissions. While initiatives like Mission 300 and the DARES project promote renewable energy for electricity access, heavy industries like steel and cement remain reliant on fossil fuels, risking 'carbon lock-in'. The paper identifies a significant annual climate finance gap of USD27.2 billion and discusses the role of natural gas as a transition fuel under the 'Decade of Gas' initiative, despite concerns regarding alignment with 1.5°C goals.

Nigeria wastes an estimated 250–300 million standard cubic feet per day of gas through flaring and leakage, representing an annual economic loss of USD 1.2–2.5 billion. The policy brief argues that capturing at least 50% of this wasted methane could unlock USD 1.5–2 billion in annual value and create 50,000–80,000 technical jobs. The proposed strategy focuses on a phased approach from 2026 to 2033, prioritising measurement, reporting and verification (MRV) and the conversion of methane into power, CNG, and micro-LNG. To succeed, the document recommends establishing a Methane Governance Council to resolve regulatory fragmentation and integrating the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) into the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) framework.

Nigeria wastes an estimated 250–300 million standard cubic feet per day (MMscfd) of gas through flaring and leakage, representing an annual loss of USD 1.2–2.5 billion. The policy brief argues that capturing and commercialising at least 50% of this wasted methane could unlock USD 1.5–2 billion in annual value, create 50,000–80,000 technical jobs, and improve public health by reducing ground-level ozone pollution. The proposed strategy focuses on existing and legacy infrastructure to avoid fossil fuel lock-in, utilizing low-cost measures like leak detection and repair (LDAR). Implementation is planned across three phases from 2026 to 2033, requiring a unified governance framework and robust measurement, reporting, and verification (MRV) systems to attract climate finance and carbon credits.

The document examines 58 active fossil fuel production restrictions across 25 countries and 27 subnational jurisdictions, noting a sharp increase in such policies since the 2010s. It highlights that while these measures are expanding, they remain politically fragile and susceptible to rollbacks during high energy price cycles or government changes. The analysis emphasizes the role of subnational governments as early adopters and the importance of strong legal anchoring to prevent repeals.

The document outlines three distinct 'tracks' for a just transition from fossil fuels. The UNFCCC and Paris Agreement provide a universal framework for emissions reduction but lack explicit obligations on fossil fuel production due to their consensus-based structure. The COP30 Presidency Roadmap, led by Brazil, serves as a non-binding, non-negotiated forum to facilitate political dialogue and identify barriers to transition. The proposed Fossil Fuel Treaty seeks to fill the governance gap by establishing binding, supply-side commitments through a coalition of high-ambition states, focusing on ending new project expansion, implementing a science-based phase-out, and providing just transition finance.

The report analyzes the limitations of the UNFCCC's consensus-based model and the non-binding nature of Brazil's COP30 Roadmap, arguing for a binding Fossil Fuel Treaty to regulate supply and ensure a just transition.

The briefing compares three pathways for a just transition from fossil fuels. It notes that while the UNFCCC provides a universal framework for emissions, it lacks explicit obligations for fossil fuel production. Brazil's COP30 'Roadmap' serves as a non-binding political dialogue to identify transition barriers. The proposed Fossil Fuel Treaty aims to fill governance gaps through binding commitments to end new project expansion, implement science-based phase-outs, and provide financial support for affected communities.

The report analyzes how high debt-service obligations and fossil fuel reliance create a structural trap for Global South nations, where fiscal pressures force governments to prioritize short-term liquidity and fossil fuel extraction over long-term renewable energy transitions. Through case studies of Colombia, Egypt, Guyana, Jordan, and Sri Lanka, it demonstrates that this nexus is systemic, often reinforced by the conditionalities of International Financial Institutions (IFIs) and the interests of multinational corporations. The document advocates for comprehensive debt cancellation, the end of fossil fuel finance, and a global transition framework based on 'extraction equity' to dismantle these structural barriers.

The Fossil Fuel Treaty Initiative is calling for countries to participate in discussions to design a binding legal instrument for a global just transition from coal, oil, and gas. The proposed treaty is based on three pillars: resourcing and cooperation for a just transition, ending new fossil fuel projects, and an equitable phase-out of existing projects aligned with the 1.5°C goal. Joining the bloc creates no immediate legal or financial obligations for participating nations, but allows them to shape the treaty's form, scope, and timeliness. The initiative aims to establish a transition finance support framework to facilitate debt resolution, renewable energy investment, and economic diversification. Participating countries are asked to affirm support, appoint political and technical focal points, work collectively on the treaty mandate, use diplomatic channels to recruit other states, and support the adoption of a negotiating mandate.

The International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) argues that Australia's older BITs are based on an outdated model that prioritizes investor protection and investor-state dispute settlement (ISDS) over public policy. The submission recommends reimagining these treaties as tools for sustainable development, prioritizing climate mitigation and a just transition. Key proposals include removing ISDS, implementing carve-outs for fossil fuel investments and climate measures, and reforming how damages are calculated to prevent exorbitant awards. IISD suggests that national legal frameworks, rather than international treaties, should be the primary regulators of foreign investment.

The report argues that subnational governments are critical to the global energy transition because extraction facilities and workforces are located within their territories. It presents a toolkit of financial, regulatory, and enabling tools to help these governments phase out production, reduce environmental impacts, and diversify local economies. The authors categorize subnational regions into four types based on their production status and reserves, noting that early movers can reduce transition risks and attract low-carbon investment. Key recommendations include developing time-bound, sequenced, and financed roadmaps and avoiding diversification into carbon-intensive downstream activities like refining or petrochemicals.