Overview
- The Santa Marta forum, held April 24–29, created a scientific panel and new finance and labor groups to help countries draft voluntary plans to wind down coal, oil, and gas.
- Convened by Colombia and the Netherlands, the coalition drew 57 countries, including the Holy See, to focus on carrying out existing Paris goals outside the consensus-bound UN process.
- Delegates identified money as the key brake, citing tight budgets in many Global South countries, high borrowing costs, and a recent oil-price shock that swelled company profits and political leverage.
- Legal advocates warned that investor–state dispute settlement lets corporations sue governments over climate rules in private tribunals, which can deter stronger policies before they are written.
- Catholic and other faith voices called for a binding treaty and tools like debt swaps to fund a just transition, while governments set a progress check in Tuvalu in 2027 with preparatory meetings in Ireland and a report to UN officials.