OTTAWA | TRADITIONAL, UNCEDED TERRITORY OF THE ALGONQUIN ANISHNAABEG PEOPLE — The First Conference on Transitioning Away from Fossil Fuels, hosted by the governments of Colombia and the Netherlands, will take place in Santa Marta, Colombia, from April 24 to 29, 2026. This emerging multilateral agenda brings together a “coalition of the willing” governments and partners, creating a critical opportunity to shape a credible international fossil fuel phase-out road map.

Janelle Lapointe, Senior Adviser, Indigenous Strategy, Sabaa Khan, Climate Director and Director General for Quebec and Atlantic Canada and Thomas Green, Senior Manager for Climate Solutions, will be in Colombia to participate in this conference.

The David Suzuki Foundation climate team is contributing to, collaborating with other climate and clean economy advocates and closely tracking this pivotal global policy process aimed at translating high-level climate commitments into practical, actionable pathways for phasing out fossil fuels in line with the Paris Agreement, with a view to supporting more effective federal and provincial government phase-out strategies.

The Foundation will draw attention to the growing gap between the direction the world is moving — driven increasingly by the economics of renewables and electrification outcompeting fossil alternatives — and Canada’s continued push to build new fossil fuel infrastructure. Solar, wind and clean technology are winning on cost, and global fossil fuel demand is peaking across an increasing number of sectors. New pipelines and LNG terminals deepen both climate risk and stranded asset exposure, leaving communities, Indigenous nations and workers to bear the brunt of the costs.

The Foundation’s climate team will be contributing targeted expertise across priority areas, including Indigenous rights, methane reduction, clean electricity, just transition and climate law, trade and investment and is available for interviews.

What: First Conference on Transitioning Away from Fossil Fuels

When: April 24 to 29, 2026

Where: Santa Marta, Colombia

Who:

  • Janelle Lapointe, Senior Adviser, Indigenous Strategy at the David Suzuki Foundation, is available for interviews about Indigenous rights and climate justice, economic reconciliation and just transition, environmental racism and integrating Indigenous world views into climate and economic policy.
  • Sabaa Khan, Climate Director and Director General for Quebec and Atlantic Canada at the David Suzuki Foundation, is available for interviews about international climate law and policy, trade and investment agreements, climate finance, human rights, petrochemical and plastic pollution.
  • Thomas Green, Senior Manager for Climate Solutions at the David Suzuki Foundation, is available for interviews about federal climate policy, energy transition and climate action.

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For more information or interviews, please contact:

Rosie Rattray, rrattray@davidsuzuki.org