Nations meet in first fossil fuel exit talks

SANTA MARTA (AFP) — Over 50 governments met Tuesday in Colombia for the first international talks aimed at phasing out fossil fuels, as the Iran war and a global energy crunch highlight the urgency of reducing reliance on planet-heating fuels.

The two-day conference in Santa Marta, one of Colombia’s busiest coal hubs, bypasses traditional UN climate negotiations, reflecting frustration over the slow progress of global talks.

“People seem refreshed to be able to talk about these issues without having to sort of argue the existential question of — do we need to do this at all?” the UK’s special climate envoy, Rachel Kyte, told AFP.

Delegates from major fossil fuel producers, including Canada, Norway, Australia, Nigeria, Angola and Brazil, joined energy-consuming nations such as the European Union, Turkey and Vietnam, as well as climate-vulnerable island states. The world’s biggest greenhouse gas emitters, including the United States, China and India, were absent, as were Gulf oil states.

The conference is not expected to produce binding commitments but a scientific panel urged participants to consider halting new fossil fuel expansion. “Without a doubt, there is no justification whatsoever for any new exploration of fossil fuels,” Brazilian scientist Carlos Nobre said.

Kyte said recent energy disruptions caused by the US-Israel attacks on Iran underscore the geopolitical risks of fossil fuel dependence. “Fossil fuels are now clearly to be seen as a source of instability,” she said.

Other discussion points include cutting fossil fuel subsidies, reducing production and consumption equitably, and accelerating investment in renewable energy.

Even with current investments in clean energy, scientists warn that existing reserves of oil, coal and gas could push global temperatures up to 2.5 degrees Celsius by 2050, far exceeding the 1.5C threshold linked to severe environmental impacts.