Over 50 nations launch first international talksfirst international talks on phasing out fossil fuels in Colombia
More than 50 governments began the world's first conference on exiting fossil fuels in Santa Marta, Colombia, on April 28. Ministers and envoys from fossil fuel producers like Canada, Norway, and Brazil, along with energy consumers and vulnerable island states, gathered outside UN climate talks to address global warming's main driver. Protests by mining unions highlighted tensions over energy reliance.
The two-day event seeks non-binding proposals, such as halting new fossil fuel expansion and reforming subsidies, amid an Iran war and global energy crunch that underscore fossil fuels' instability. Organizers aim to feed outcomes into future COP summits, representing nearly half the world's population despite absences by top emitters like the US, China, and Russia.
- Colombia and the Netherlands co-hosted this conference after 30 years of UN climate diplomacy failed to produce meaningful fossil fuel commitments.
- The Fossil Fuel Treaty Initiative, a civil society campaign launched in 2019, laid the groundwork for this historic gathering.
- Santa Marta's selection reflects Colombia's role as a major coal exporter, symbolizing commitment from a fossil fuel-producing nation.
US-Iran Ceasefire War
The United States launched military strikes against Iran on June 26, 2026, in response to a drone attack on a commercial cargo ship in the Strait of Hormuz, calling it a "foolish violation" of the 60-day ceasefire agreement signed just days earlier[2][4][14].
26 June, 09:35 PM
US launches strikes against Iran following commercial ship attack26 June, 04:47 PM
Trump calls Iran drone attack on cargo ship a ceasefire violation
