Santa Marta Coalition Tested as Colombia Turns Back to Fossil Fuels

The Santa Marta coalition, a global initiative to transition away from fossil fuels, is facing a significant test as Colombia's new government, led by far-right candidate Abelardo de la Espriella, reverses a ban on new hydrocarbon exploration and pledges to ramp up coal exports and fracking for methane gas.

The coalition, which was formed in April in the Caribbean city of Santa Marta, brings together 57 governments, businesses, and civil society organisations. However, with Colombia's new government set to take office, the coalition is facing a significant blow.

Colombia's current government, led by Gustavo Petro, had enacted a ban on all new hydrocarbon exploration since 2022. However, the new government has pledged to reverse this ban and begin fracking for methane gas.

The soon-to-be environment minister, Fabio Arjona, has described the Santa Marta conference as an "absolute waste of time and money". He will replace Irene Vélez Torres, who co-chairs the Santa Marta coalition.

Torres has stated that the initiative was created in a way that made sure it could live without Colombia, as they knew a change in government was a risk. She added that the coalition is not just about Colombia, but also includes subnational governments, civil society, and scientists from around the world.

The Dutch environment minister, Stientje van Veldhoven, also a co-chair in the initiative, has stated that the organisation is set up in a way that progress does not depend on one or two countries. She highlighted the role of incoming co-chairs Ireland and Tuvalu, who will officially take the lead after COP31 and host the second Conference on Transitioning Away from Fossil Fuels in Tuvalu next year.

## Priorities: roadmaps, debt, and trade

The Santa Marta conference agreed to focus on three priorities: developing national roadmaps to phase out fossil fuels, decoupling trade from coal, oil, and gas, and reducing global finance's dependence on fossil fuels.

At last year's COP30, a group of around 80 countries led a failed push for the UN to adopt a global roadmap to phase out fossil fuels. To keep talks from collapsing, Brazil proposed to draft a voluntary roadmap instead, which has received suggestions from dozens of countries.

The workstreams of the Santa Marta coalition are set up independently from the Dutch and Colombian governments, and each area of focus will have its own "madrina", or contact point, to oversee progress and support countries.

## Colombia's Fossil Fuel Shift

Colombia's shift to a pro-fossil fuel government represents an important blow to global initiatives seeking to phase out fossil fuels. Andreas Malm, author and professor of human ecology at Lund University, has stated that the gap left by Colombia's departure is charismatic political leadership that makes the necessary links and arguments on the global stage.

Colombia not only leads the Santa Marta coalition but is also one of the few fossil fuel producers in the group to actually halt new exploration licenses. Coal and oil derivatives account for about a third of the country's exports, but both industries have followed a downward trend over the last decade.

The new government will have to start from scratch, as Petro's government halted all oil and gas exploration pilots in the key Magdalena and Cesar-Ranchería regions. Both areas are also home to indigenous communities who are likely to challenge any projects in court.

Vélez Torres has stated that halting all new coal, oil, and gas exploration licenses "was not easy" and led to "violent reactions" from national elites, including "violent threats". However, she added that it came with the deep belief that "it is needed, it is urgent, and it cannot be delayed".

| Priority Area | Description | | --- | --- | | National Roadmaps | Developing roadmaps to phase out fossil fuels | | Decoupling Trade | Decoupling trade from coal, oil, and gas | | Reducing Finance Dependence | Reducing global finance's dependence on fossil fuels |

The global discussion to phase out fossil fuels "cannot be delayed" because the time window for humanity to act is shrinking. Vélez Torres has stated that more countries need to show "political bravery" to take similar decisions and lead the conversation forward.