Short Wave

A Very Very Big Deal Countries Take On Fossil Fuels

December 17, 2025

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  • A major announcement regarding a new international conference on the just transition away from fossil fuels, involving about 20 countries, was nearly derailed by a fire at the UN Climate Change Conference (COP30) in Belén, Brazil. 
  • Many countries are deeply frustrated with the consensus-based UN climate process (COPs) because it consistently blocks explicit language about transitioning away from fossil fuels, the main driver of global warming. 
  • A coalition of 'high-ambition countries,' including Colombia and the Netherlands, is launching the first international conference on the just transition away from fossil fuels (the Santa Marta conference) in April 2026, and plans to discuss a legally binding Fossil Fuel Treaty to bypass COP limitations. 

Segments

COP30 Fire Incident
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(00:00:19)
  • Key Takeaway: A fire broke out in the plastic tents at COP30 in Belén, Brazil, leading to evacuations and disrupting a major planned announcement.
  • Summary: The Short Wave episode opens with host Emily Kwong speaking to Julia Simon about her experience at COP30 in Brazil. The conference venue, housed in large plastic tents, experienced a fire due to an electrical issue, causing evacuations and treating at least a dozen people for smoke inhalation. This incident occurred just before a significant announcement by a group of countries about tackling fossil fuels was scheduled to take place.
Frustration with COP Process
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(00:04:14)
  • Key Takeaway: The UN climate conferences (COPs) are criticized for lacking sufficient emphasis on transitioning away from fossil fuels, despite them being the primary driver of global warming.
  • Summary: Burning fossil fuels accounts for about 70% of greenhouse gas emissions heating the planet. It took 28 years for a COP agreement to even mention transitioning away from fossil fuels. The consensus-based nature of COP, requiring agreement from nearly 200 countries, allows major oil producers like Saudi Arabia to consistently block text mentioning fossil fuels, frustrating countries seeking a roadmap for phase-out.
Santa Marta Conference Initiative
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(00:06:31)
  • Key Takeaway: A group of about 20 ‘high-ambition countries’ are creating the first international conference on the just transition away from fossil fuels, called the Santa Marta conference, to take urgent action outside the COP framework.
  • Summary: Frustrated by COP’s consensus rules, countries like Colombia and Mexico are organizing the Santa Marta conference, scheduled for April 2026 in Colombia. This new conference aims to create a dedicated space to tackle the phase-out of fossil fuels urgently. Discussions will focus on equitable transition measures, such as redirecting fossil fuel subsidies toward renewables and creating new jobs for displaced energy workers.
Fossil Fuel Treaty Discussion
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(00:11:27)
  • Key Takeaway: The Santa Marta conference will also serve as a platform to advance the Fossil Fuel Treaty, an initiative seeking a legally binding commitment for a just transition away from fossil fuels.
  • Summary: The proposed Fossil Fuel Treaty is an initiative already signed onto by 18 countries and several major cities, aiming to create a legally binding document for phasing out fossil fuels. Academics view this move by a ‘coalition of the willing’ as a potential inflection point in global climate politics, necessary because current Paris Agreement pledges are insufficient to meet the 1.5-degree Celsius limit. The American Petroleum Institute countered that ideological debates distract from innovating to meet energy demand with a smaller footprint.
Announcement Success Despite Fire
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(00:13:33)
  • Key Takeaway: Despite the evacuation caused by the fire, the coalition successfully held their press conference the following morning, announcing the Santa Marta conference.
  • Summary: Following the evacuation, the Colombian Environment Minister, Irene Velez Torres, flanked by representatives from about a dozen other nations, made the official declaration the next morning. Climate experts suggest this announcement—the establishment of a conference specifically to phase out fossil fuels—may be the most important outcome of COP30.