Later this month, Windward Fund’s project, the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty Initiative (Fossil Fuel Treaty Initiative), will join hundreds of stakeholders from around the world at the First Conference on Transitioning Away From Fossil Fuels, hosted by Colombia and the Netherlands. The conference, which will be held April 24-29 in Santa Marta, Colombia, will bring together 45 countries to advance discussions to support a transition to clean energy around the world. This conference, which will be the first in a series, represents an incredible milestone in Fossil Fuel Treaty Initiative’s work to cement a concrete, robust, binding plan to protect people and the planet from the threats that oil, gas and coal pose.
Fossil Fuel Treaty Initiative originally proposed the conference to its partners in 2025. Colombian officials then formally announced it at COP30 in Belem, Brazil, naming the Netherlands as their co-host. Recognizing the importance of a concrete plan to transition away from fossil fuels, the Colombian government also presented the Belem Declaration on Global Green Industrialization to a packed house on the conference’s final day.
The declaration, which Colombia drafted after consulting with 50 countries and the Fossil Fuel Treaty Initiative, is a landmark agreement that urges critical shifts in climate action, with a particular focus on the people and communities most harmed. Notably, the declaration, which 24 countries have signed, also calls for a more human-centered approach to mitigation and for a just and equitable transition away from fossil fuels.
“This is a hugely important step in creating a global treaty that holds countries accountable for replacing fossil fuels with cleaner, greener energy sources. The Santa Marta Conference is a decisive opportunity to strengthen international cooperation.”
Director Of Development, Fossil Fuel Treaty Initiative
Diplomatic conferences like these have proven to be instrumental in building the infrastructure of treaties for decades. For example, before advocates secured a global treaty to end the use, stockpiling, production and transfer of land mines, they held two diplomatic conferences that helped inform best practices, answer tough questions and moved the world toward ratification. Anna and her colleagues at the Fossil Fuel Treaty Initiative are hopeful that the conference in Santa Marta will continue to build momentum for a global treaty to end the proliferation of fossil fuels.
As of now, 18 countries have signed the Fossil Fuel Treaty. The organization’s goal is to increase the coalition of countries participating in the Fossil Fuel Treaty to lead to negotiations commencing in earnest.
Windward is proud to support the Fossil Fuel Treaty Initiative and its incredible work, helping the initiative navigate complex challenges and connecting it to other projects in the field. For more information about the initiative’s work and the upcoming conference, visit here.
