Can the Colombia summit jump-start fossil fuel phaseout?

The fight to end the fossil fuel era has found a new stage in Colombia, where dozens of countries gathered as momentum at traditional COP climate talks continues to fade.

Reports indicate 57 countries joined the first meeting in a new series of conferences designed to build practical roadmaps away from fossil fuels. The effort marks a clear shift in strategy. Rather than wait for consensus at sprawling global summits, participating governments appear to be testing a smaller, more focused forum that can push plans forward faster.

With progress at COP meetings stalling, the Colombia summit signals a search for a new route out of the fossil fuel age.

That ambition comes with an obvious weakness. Big emitters including the US and China did not take part, according to the summit summary. Their absence cuts into the gathering's immediate weight. Any serious global transition away from coal, oil and gas will depend on decisions made in the world's largest economies, not only on commitments from countries willing to move first.

Still, the Colombia meeting matters because it reflects a growing impatience with the pace of formal climate diplomacy. Sources suggest governments want forums that move beyond broad declarations and toward concrete transition planning. If that happens, these talks could become a laboratory for policy ideas, alliances and pressure that later shape wider negotiations.

What happens next will decide whether the summit becomes a footnote or a turning point. Future meetings will need to show they can turn political intent into credible roadmaps and pull in countries that currently sit outside the room. If they succeed, they could sharpen the global debate over how fast the world can move beyond fossil fuels — and who will lead that shift.