Overview

For years, the annual United Nations climate conferences (COPs) have struggled to produce concrete, binding commitments to phase out fossil fuels. Negotiations often stall under the weight of competing national interests, leaving many countries frustrated with the pace of change. Against this backdrop, a new series of summits emerged, the first of which took place in Colombia in 2023. This summit brought together 57 countries—a mix of nations that are both vulnerable to climate impacts and those with significant renewable energy potential. Their goal: to develop actionable roadmaps for moving away from oil, coal, and gas. Notably absent were the world's two largest emitters, China and the United States. This guide explores the significance of the Colombia summit, the prerequisites for such gatherings, the steps involved in crafting a transition plan, common pitfalls, and what this means for the future of global climate action.

Prerequisites for a Successful Fossil Fuel Transition Summit

Before understanding how the Colombia summit functioned, it's important to consider the conditions that make such a conference possible and effective.

Political Will and Coalition Building

A critical prerequisite is the willingness of a core group of countries to lead by example. At Colombia, 57 nations agreed to participate, signaling a commitment to accelerate beyond the pace of UNFCCC negotiations. These countries often share a common vulnerability to climate change or a strong desire to capitalize on domestic renewable resources.

Clear Objectives and a Focused Agenda

Unlike broad COPs, the new summit series has a narrower mandate: developing roadmaps away from fossil fuels. This focus allows for deeper discussion on technical, economic, and social aspects of the transition. The Colombia summit’s agenda was built around measurable milestones, such as the share of renewables in national energy mixes by 2030 and 2050.

Engagement of Major Emitters (or Acknowledging Their Absence)

Ideally, participation from large emitters like China and the US is vital for global impact. Their absence in Colombia was a notable gap. However, the prerequisite here is the recognition that even without them, medium-sized emitters and developing nations can create momentum and demonstrate feasibility, potentially influencing larger economies later.

Step-by-Step: How the Colombia Summit Aims to Kick-Start the End of the Fossil Fuel Era

The summit’s process can be broken down into actionable steps that other countries or coalitions might follow. While these steps are based on the actual event, they are presented as a model for future climate diplomacy.

Step 1: Diagnose the Failures of Existing Processes

The first step is to honestly assess what isn't working. COP meetings have become bogged down by consensus rules, political grandstanding, and the influence of fossil fuel interests. The Colombia summit implicitly acknowledged this by creating a parallel track. Return to Overview.

Step 2: Form a “Coalition of the Willing”

Instead of waiting for universal approval, a smaller group of committed countries is assembled. In this case, 57 nations signed on. This coalition should represent diverse geographies and stages of development—from island states in the Pacific to resource-rich nations in South America. The diversity ensures that roadmaps are not one-size-fits-all.

Step 3: Develop National Roadmaps for Fossil Fuel Phase-Down

Each participating country was expected to present a roadmap. These documents outline specific actions, such as:

• Setting a date for ending new oil and gas exploration.
• Investing in renewable energy infrastructure (solar, wind, geothermal) with quantitative targets.
• Implementing just transition policies to protect workers and communities dependent on fossil fuel industries.

Code examples (conceptual): A typical roadmap might include a timeline like Year 2025: Ban on new coal permits, 2030: 50% electricity from renewables, 2040: Phase-out of all unabated coal power.

Step 4: Foster Peer Learning and Technology Sharing

The summit included workshops where countries shared best practices. For instance, Costa Rica demonstrated its success in running on nearly 100% renewable electricity. This step accelerates deployment by reducing the learning curve for others.

Step 5: Create a Mechanism for Accountability and Review

To ensure roadmaps don’t remain paper promises, the summit devised a system for regular progress reports. This might involve a publicly accessible dashboard showing each country’s progress against its targets. The Colombia summit proposed a follow-up meeting in two years to assess compliance.

Step 6: Engage with Major Emitters (Despite Their Absence)

Even though China and the US did not attend formally, the summit’s outputs were designed to influence them indirectly. By demonstrating that a transition is feasible and economically beneficial, the coalition hopes to create competitive pressure. For example, if Colombia and 56 other countries show that clean energy creates more jobs than oil, that evidence can shift domestic politics in larger nations.

Common Mistakes in Fossil Fuel Transition Summits

Drawing from the Colombia experience and previous efforts, here are frequent errors to avoid.

Mistake 1: Overpromising and Underdelivering

Some countries may announce ambitious targets without clear implementation plans. The summit risked being dismissed as another talk shop. To counter this, the Colombian hosts insisted on concrete milestones rather than vague aspirations.

Mistake 2: Ignoring the Role of Finance

Transitioning away from fossil fuels requires huge investments. A common mistake is to focus only on technology and policy while neglecting how to fund the shift. Developing nations need grants, loans, and private capital. The Colombia summit included discussions on green bonds and multilateral funding, but gaps remain.

Mistake 3: Excluding the Influence of Existing Fossil Fuel Interests

Countries that are major oil, gas, or coal producers may find political opposition from powerful industries. The summit hardly addressed how to manage this domestic pushback, which can derail implementation. A successful roadmap must incorporate strategies to phase out subsidies and manage stranded assets.

Mistake 4: Assuming Absence Means No Impact

The absence of China and the US did not entirely negate the summit’s utility, but some observers mistakenly wrote it off. The real mistake is to think that only global superpowers can drive change. Middle powers and smaller nations can create laboratory experiments that later scale up. The key is to communicate results effectively.

Summary

The Colombia summit represents a tactical pivot in international climate diplomacy: a smaller, focused coalition developing concrete roadmaps to phase out fossil fuels, while acknowledging that large emitters are not yet on board. Its success will be measured by the ability to turn these roadmaps into real cuts in emissions and by the pressure it exerts on absent giants. For climate advocates and policymakers, the summit offers a blueprint for accelerating action outside the slow-moving COP process.