The Santa Marta Conference

The first International Conference on Transitioning Away from Fossil Fuels is currently taking place in Santa Marta, Colombia (24th-29th April, 2026). This historic gathering represents a critical “joining of the dots” between global policy, economic justice and the moral imperative to protect our common home.

A Turning Point: The End of the Fossil Fuel Era?
For decades, the global economy has been fuelled by an “unbridled race” for raw materials and fossil fuels, a race that Pope Leo XIV recently warned hides a “side of environmental and social devastation.” The Santa Marta conference marks a significant shift, as world powers begin to formalize a roadmap for a Fossil Free Future.

The urgency of this transition has been accelerated by recent geopolitical shifts. With the ongoing conflict in Iran threatening global oil supplies and causing energy price volatility, world powers increasingly recognize that shifting to renewables is no longer just an ecological choice, it is a matter of global security and peace.

Voices for a Just Transition
At the heart of the conference is the demand for a Just Transition. Organizations like Climate Action Network (CAN) Europe and CIDSE (the international family of Catholic social justice organizations) are pushing for ambitious timelines:

  • Global Phase-Out: A clear roadmap to end fossil fuel expansion and production.
  • European Leadership: Pushing the EU to phase out coal by 2030, fossil gas by 2035, and reach 100% renewable energy by 2040.
  • Financial Justice: Ending fossil fuel subsidies and taxing profits to fund the energy transition in the Global South.
  • A Fossil Fuel Treaty: A proposed international framework to ensure technical support and debt relief for countries facing the brunt of climate impacts.

Chiara Martinelli, Director of CAN Europe, emphasized that Europe must contribute to this conference with “courage and ambition,” ensuring that legal barriers to the phase-out are removed.

The Moral Compass: Faith-Based Advocacy
Faith-based bodies are providing the “moral compass” for these negotiations. Drawing on the spirit of Laudato Sì, the Vatican and the World Council of Churches (WCC) have reiterated that the cry of the earth and the cry of the poor are one and the same.

In a recent briefing, African stakeholders and civil society leaders highlighted the “hidden price” paid by vulnerable communities often in Africa and Latin America, during extractive processes. They are calling for a framework that addresses:

  • Limited Energy Access: Ensuring the transition doesn’t leave those without electricity behind.
  • Debt Relief: Stopping the cycle where global financial systems hold back a fair, renewable energy future.

Joining the Dots: From Santa Marta to Northern Ireland
While the negotiations happen in Colombia, the implications are local. Whether it is the public inquiry into gold mining in the Sperrins or the ecological crisis at Lough Neagh, we see the local impact of an extractive economy.

As Dr. Lorna Gold noted at our recent “Economy of Enough” event, we are moving from “paper to practice.” The Santa Marta Conference is a global invitation to reimagine prosperity, not based on what we can take from the earth, but on how we can live in harmony with it.

Learn More & Get Involved:

  • Follow the People’s Summit recommendations: fossilfreerising.org
  • Read the full CAN Europe recommendations handed to Commissioner Wopke Hoekstra.
  • Stay tuned for our local Season of Creation events (1st Sept-4th Oct) where we will bring these global themes into our local parishes and communities.

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