STATEMENT: The First Global Conference on Transitioning Away from Fossil Fuels Represents a Positive Shift for Ocean Climate Solutions

SANTA MARTA, Colombia –The First Global Conference on Transitioning Away from Fossil Fuels, hosted this week by the governments of Colombia and the Netherlands, concludes on April 29.

Ocean Conservancy was represented by Shamini Selvaratnam, Director of International Climate and Energy, who was selected to be in the ministerial at Santa Marta, released the following statement: 

“Offshore oil and gas are the fastest-growing sources of fossil fuels. In contrast to that fact, offshore production has been largely absent from global climate action frameworks, undermining the credibility of fossil fuel phase-out commitments. 

“Phasing out the production of offshore oil and gas emerged as a priority during the Conference in Santa Marta. 

“Together with the Center for International Environmental Law and the Global Gas & Oil Network, Ocean Conservancy convened representatives from 25 countries from every region of the world, including frontline and ocean-dependent communities, in a pre-conference workshop to generate recommendations and solutions on how to incorporate an ocean and coastal perspective into fossil fuel phase-out discussions. The workshop demonstrated there is now broad recognition that offshore oil and gas cannot remain a blind spot, it has to be explicitly addressed across international cooperation, supply-side strategies, and economic transition frameworks. 

“As the conference progressed, the ocean became increasingly present in formal and informal discussions. The momentum is real, but translating that into outcomes will require sustained effort to ensure the ocean is fully and meaningfully embedded in phase-out solutions.”

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ABOUT OCEAN CONSERVANCY  

For more than 50 years, Ocean Conservancy has delivered effective, evidence-based solutions for the ocean and all who depend on it. Today, we continue to unite science, people and policy to protect our ocean from the greatest challenges it faces: climate change, plastic pollution and biodiversity loss. We are a 501(C)3 headquartered in Washington, D.C. that inspires a worldwide network of partners, advocates and supporters through our comprehensive and clear-eyed approach to ocean conservation. Together, we are securing a healthy ocean and a thriving planet, forever and for everyone. For more information, visit oceanconservancy.org, or follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, or Instagram.