ICTA-UAB Researcher Participates in the Transitioning Away From Fossil Fuels Conference in Colombia

This is the first international forum entirely dedicated to developing solutions for advancing the transition beyond fossil fuels.

The conference, led by the governments of Colombia and the Netherlands, was conceived during COP30 in Belém, Brazil. According to the organizers, one of its main goals is to provide a response to the slow pace and limitations of the COPs, offering a complementary space to the UNFCCC (United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change) that formally contributes to the COP30 roadmap and accelerates practical implementation of solutions.

As a member of the Scientific Board, Llavero Pasquina has been tasked with preparing a synthesis report of science-based measures to phase out fossil fuels. “It would be a kind of mini-IPCC for the most ambitious governments, focused on transition scenarios,” explains the ICTA-UAB researcher.

According to the organizers, this will be the first conference focused on practical implementation, aiming to support concrete actions by those already prepared to move forward. The event does not aim to produce negotiated outcomes but rather to generate a shared understanding and practical guidance that can help accelerate a just, orderly, and equitable transition away from fossil fuels.

The conference report will identify feasible pathways for implementing this transition, intending to contribute to the COP30 presidency’s roadmap. These pathways will be structured around three strategic pillars:

• Overcoming economic dependence on fossil fuels, addressing fiscal, energy security, and industrial reconversion challenges, while promoting diversified and resilient economies.

• Transforming energy supply and demand, through the gradual replacement of fossil sources, reviewing exploration and production licenses, responsibly closing production sites, and reforming incentives and subsidies.

• Strengthening international cooperation and multilateralism, promoting mechanisms to close implementation gaps and address legal barriers hindering the transition.

The registration process reflects the global interest in the event: 2,608 organizations have expressed their intent to participate, alongside 97 national governments and 30 subnational governments. Approximately 41 % of participants are from Latin America and the Caribbean, while 33 % come from multiregional or global organizations, highlighting the international scope of the conference.