A new coalition is turning the promise to move beyond fossil fuels into a process for action. As the first Conference on Transitioning Away from Fossil Fuels drew to a close, a simple but powerful moment captured its spirit.
Catarina Rolfsdotter-Jansson from We Don’t Have Time handed over the first-ever gold Make Science Great Again cap to Irene Vélez-Torres and Stientje van Veldhoven, environment ministers of Colombia and the Netherlands, the two host countries of the conference.
They then passed it on to Maina Talia, Minister for Home Affairs, Climate Change and Environment in Tuvalu, which will host the next conference.
“This is a symbolic handover of the baton, to keep science at the heart of this process,” said Rolfsdotter-Jansson.
“Thank you,” replied Minister Maina Talia. “This is an opportunity not only to bring the world to Tuvalu and let them hear our stories, but also to link science and legal frameworks.”
A simple gesture, and a powerful signal that something real has begun.
https://youtu.be/Ei46ZxYvxxY
And We Don’t Have Time was right at the heart of it.
As the official global media partner of the conference, We Don’t Have Time helped bring the Santa Marta process beyond the room: hosting conversations, interviewing leaders, and making this emerging fossil fuel transition process visible to a global audience in real time, reaching more than 6 million viewers to date.
Stientje van Veldhoven, Environment Minister of the Netherlands, speaks with David Olsson, Co-founder and COO of We Don’t Have Time.
And now we have a process
At COP28, world leaders promised to transition away from fossil fuels in energy systems, in a just, orderly and equitable manner.
At COP30, more than 80 countries pushed for the natural next step: a roadmap for transitioning away from fossil fuels.
When this was blocked by a minority of countries, Colombia and the Netherlands chose not to wait. They took the courageous decision to host the first Conference on Transitioning Away from Fossil Fuels.
When Colombia’s environment minister, Irene Vélez-Torres, was interviewed in We Don’t Have Time’s studio, she said:
“It was after COP30 and the disruption and dissatisfaction that it generated, as we felt there was a veto against discussing fossil fuels, that the eagerness to create a conference grew.”
The transition will not happen overnight. It is a huge and complex shift in our economies, energy systems, societies, and development models.
The conference outcome recognises this complexity, but does not shy away from the challenge.
Through three workstreams, countries agreed to continue working on:
- Practical fossil-phase-out roadmaps
- Removing financial barriers
- Managing the risks and imbalances that come with reducing both fossil fuel supply and demand
Progress will be evaluated at a second conference in Tuvalu, co-hosted by Ireland.
That second conference may sound procedural.
It is not.
It means we are moving towards the institutionalization of a fossil fuel transition roadmap: continuity, coordination, mechanisms for follow-up, and a platform for measuring progress and raising ambition.
The Santa Marta process is born.
So what does this mean?
First: the nearly 60 participating countries were not the reluctant ones. They were the committed ones.
They now have a forum in which to develop, deepen, and reaffirm their commitment. Handled well, this process can make the coalition stronger, more articulate, and more impactful.
It can also make it easier for more countries to join. And every new country joining is a win.
Second, there is the COP.
The Santa Marta process is intended to feed into and complement the UN-led climate negotiations.
Yes, COP outcomes still require consensus. Yes, petrostates and governments hostile to climate progress may continue to block progress. But with this new energy from a coalition of the willing being fed into the next COP, who knows what could happen?
Regardless of the outcome, this coalition will regroup in Tuvalu.
And this brings me to my third point. One of the delegates said to me on the floor of the conference:
“This is all, of course, good and well, but the Paris Agreement remains our North Star.”
That made me think. Without the Paris Agreement, without the moment when all Parties to the UNFCCC agreed to pursue efforts to limit warming to 1.5°C, the Santa Marta process would never have seen the light of day.
We need two legs to walk.
While one leg is taking a step forward, the other supports the movement, pressing firmly into the ground. A coalition of the willing has now taken a step forward on the foundation of all the climate diplomacy that preceded it. And when, as I believe is inevitable, the Santa Marta process begins to influence the COP negotiations, the relationship will run both ways.
The COP gives legitimacy. The coalition brings momentum. Together, they move us forward.
Now comes the crucial task: keeping that momentum alive
Diplomacy does not move by itself.
It moves when leadership is visible, when progress is tracked, when stories are told, and when more people can see who is stepping forward and who is holding back.
That is the role We Don’t Have Time plans to play.
As the official global media partner in Santa Marta, we helped make this moment visible.
Now we want to help keep the process moving all the way to COP31 and beyond through: Interviews, Dialogues, Storytelling, and global media attention
And with the right partners, we want to build a powerful next step:
A global “Are you in or out?” tracker
The idea is simple: a traffic-light system that makes the state of global ambition visible.
- 🟢 Green: countries actively backing the Santa Marta process and the roadmap for transitioning away from fossil fuels.
- 🟡 Yellow: countries not yet in, but moving in the right direction.
- 🔴 Red: countries blocking, delaying, or opposing the transition away from fossil fuels.
Powered by AI and strengthened by journalism, the tracker would monitor public statements, policy signals, diplomatic shifts, and national positions in real time.
The goal is not to shame.
The goal is to make leadership visible, celebrate progress, create positive pressure, and make it easier for more countries to join.
Help us build what comes next
To make this possible, we are now inviting partners, funders, and collaborators.
Or reach out to help us build the global media and accountability platform this moment deserves.
The Santa Marta process has started.
Now we must help it grow.
Are you in or out? 💚
Watch full session:
https://youtu.be/2EjsofWSTNk
// David Olsson, Co-founder and Chief Operating Officer of We Don’t Have Time, and Executive Producer of the Santa Marta broadcasts. david.olsson@wedonthavetime .org
Support our work:
https://wedonthavetime.org/msga
Watch all content from teh Transition Away from Fossil Fuels conference:
https://www.wedonthavetime.org/events/transitioningaway
