Global fossil fuel dependence remains deeply reinforced by rising energy demand, weak compliance with emissions mitigation targets, and persistent oil and gas investment that lock us into continued consumption beyond economic viability. These dynamics sideline more sustainable pathways and have put us on a path to produce 120% more fossil fuels than would be consistent with limiting global warming to 1.5C. At the same time, external pressures, such as geopolitical conflicts, the expansion of poorly regulated fracking, legal disincentives for countries to commit to phase-out, and insufficient finance to help lower-income countries to transition, further complicate efforts to phase out fossil fuels. 

In this context, the upcoming Conference on Transitioning Away from Fossil Fuels, emerging from COP30 in Belém and led by Colombia and the Netherlands, aims to translate climate commitments into concrete, context-specific actions. Drawing on inspiration from SEI’s Oxford Conferences on Fossil Fuel Supply and Climate Policy, this international summit speaks directly to SEI’s extensive work to support evidence-based decision-making for climate action, including the Production Gap Report and the former Carbon Lock-in Initiative, which highlight the gap between planned fossil fuel production and climate targets while advancing solutions to reduce fossil fuel dependence that go beyond adding renewable energy capacity. 

The conference in Santa Marta will take place 24–29 April and will include an academic forum where SEI experts will participate in thematic discussions to shape tangible climate actions. Here, we highlight three key areas where SEI aims to contribute to these discussions: 

1. Fairly sharing responsibilities and commitments for a just, orderly and equitable transition away from fossil fuels 

A just, orderly and equitable transition away from fossil fuels requires clear and fair allocation of responsibilities. This depends on strong multilateral spaces where countries can negotiate commitments, alongside an active civil society that can engage in these processes. Frameworks like the Equity Review, developed by over 300 civil society organizations with scientific input, propose two core principles: 1) minimize social disruption by allowing countries that are most socially dependent on fossil fuels for employment, revenue, and domestic energy to transition over longer periods than those that are less socially dependent, and 2) share transition costs according to capacity to bear those costs. International cooperation institutions can facilitate support from countries with greater capacity to those with less. 

In practice, this calls for stronger international support for countries with fewer resources, helping manage energy price risks, align supply and demand with fair phase-out pathways, and mobilize finance, technology, and investment. Grounding the transition in these principles makes it more feasible, stable and inclusive. 

2. Transforming supply and demand to promote healthy air and equitable communities   

Fossil fuel extraction and consumption is not only linked to accelerating climate change, but also to adverse impacts on human and ecological health and well-being. In particular, fossil fuels are one of the largest sources of air pollutants in the world. In the US alone, air pollution caused by the oil and gas industry leads to 91 000 annual premature deaths, disproportionately affecting socially and economically vulnerable communities. Thus, governments must maximize the synergies between decarbonization, renewable energy infrastructure and air quality management, especially in regions heavily exposed to pollution from fossil fuel combustion. This will translate improving air quality into measurable health gains and reduce entrenched inequalities and vulnerabilities.  

To ensure these benefits are systematically achieved, air quality benchmarks and health co-benefits should be mainstreamed into long-term policy frameworks. Key instruments for effective implementation include, for instance, incorporating mandatory health‑impact assessments into fossil fuel phase‑out plans, covering the full lifecycle from extraction to end use, and addressing fossil plant closures, licensing reforms, and new energy projects. That would also account for costs, fossil fuel subsidy reform, carbon pricing, and carbon tax, ensuring that health outcomes are explicitly valued within energy policy decisions. A core metric of policy success and public satisfaction based on health benefits could reinforce accountability and public support for action. 

 3. South-South cooperation platforms for just energy transitions

South–South cooperation can play a critical role in advancing just energy transitions at local, regional and national levels by promoting peer learning, building relevant solutions, and sharing technical expertise among countries facing similar socio-economic and governance challenges. Such platforms can support the co-creation of strategies for mine closures, green industrialization, and inclusive development tailored to each country’s context. It can also help channel resources more efficiently, reduce duplication and stakeholder fatigue, and strengthen justice-oriented approaches, including gender and intersectional perspectives grounded in local realities. 

To be effective, these cooperation efforts should engage government officials across different levels – particularly those in permanent technical roles who can sustain institutional knowledge beyond electoral cycles. They should also involve civil society and knowledge institutions, which can contribute insights from academic and non-governmental experiences and support the design of robust, long-term exchange platforms.

The time for progress is now

Turning commitments into action requires clear, actionable pathways that translate ambition into implementation. This means embedding equity from the beginning, ensuring that gender considerations and broader social dimensions are core to decision-making. The Santa Marta conference offers a critical moment to move from dialogue to delivery. The call to action is clear: to strengthen cooperation, operationalize fairness, and ensure that the transition away from fossil fuels is not only faster, but also genuinely equitable and grounded in real-world clear implementation pathways.