Colombia’s president Gustavo Petro opened the two‑day conference by warning that the prevailing “suicidal” model of capitalism, anchored in fossil‑fuel extraction, fuels conflict, authoritarianism and ecological collapse. Petro, barred from seeking a second consecutive term, framed the climate crisis as a prelude to “barbarism” and warned that “the question that needs to be asked is whether capitalism can truly adapt to a non‑fossil energy model.”
The summit, billed as the world’s first climate meeting dedicated exclusively to the transition away from fossil fuels, brought together ministers, high‑level officials, civil‑society groups and academic experts from 57 nations. It followed four days of workshops and discussions that highlighted the urgency of aligning energy policy with climate targets.
Several countries used the forum to unveil concrete timelines for abandoning fossil fuels. France, for example, released a national roadmap that aims to remove coal from the grid by 2027, end oil dependence by 2045 and phase out fossil gas by 2050. The French climate envoy Benoît Faraco described the plan as a step beyond the country’s Paris‑Agreement commitments, positioning France as a potential “electricity Saudi Arabia of Europe.”
Colombia also presented a draft transition plan, signaling its intention to lead by example in the Global South.
A recurring theme throughout the talks was the financial strain faced by developing nations. Tzeporah Berman, founder of the Fossil Fuel Treaty Initiative, warned that many fossil‑fuel‑producing countries in the Global South are compelled to expand extraction to service external debt, creating a vicious cycle that undermines climate goals.
Debt in Africa has more than doubled in five years, surpassing $1 trillion, while rising global interest rates—intended to curb inflation linked to fossil‑fuel price spikes—further squeeze fiscal space. As a result, governments struggle to fund renewable‑energy projects, purchase essential imports such as medicines and fertilizers, or invest in climate‑resilient infrastructure.
Susana Muhamad, former Colombian environment minister and special envoy for the Fossil Fuel Treaty Initiative, emphasized that without relief from debt burdens, “countries cannot afford the imports and technologies needed for a low‑carbon future.”
Civil‑society representatives echoed this call for relief. Lidy Nacpil of the Asian Peoples’ Movement on Debt and Development argued that “a just transition is impossible while Global South nations remain shackled by predatory, unsustainable and illegitimate debts.”
Although the summit did not produce new funding commitments, participants discussed mechanisms that could redirect resources toward clean energy. Think‑tank analysts highlighted three potential levers:
Leo Roberts of E3G described Santa Marta as a “conversation space” where such ideas can be refined, even if immediate financial breakthroughs remain elusive.
The Santa Marta summit underscored a growing consensus: technical pathways for decarbonisation exist, but without addressing the debt overhang that many vulnerable economies face, the transition will remain uneven and delayed. As nations prepare for the next UN climate negotiations, the integration of debt relief and financial‑system reforms into climate policy may prove decisive in determining whether the world can move beyond the “suicidal” fossil‑fuel model that Petro warned about.
