During the excellent G78 webinar on Transitioning Away from Fossil Fuels: The Ambition of the Santa Marta Conference, speakers and participants suggested links and readings for learning more about and taking action on the exciting Santa Marta conference to be held in Colombia in late April. Here are some:
To learn more about the Santa Marta conference, go to: https://transitionawayconference.com/
The three thematic pillars of the conference are:
1. Overcoming economic dependence – without harming the people and governments that rely on them
2. Transforming supply & demand – cleaner transport, industry, household energy; shifting subsidies
3. International cooperation and legal barriers – Investor State Dispute mechanism
The briefing on the conference by Colombia’s Minister of Environment and Sustainable Development, the Honourable Irene Vélez Torres: https://www.youtube.com/live/MQSX05fLYY4
Article on the conference: https://www.climatechangenews.com/2026/03/09/new-summit-in-colombia-seeks-to-revive-stalled-un-talks-on-fossil-fuel-transition/
An important allied organization – the Fossil Fuel Treaty Initiative, of which G78 is a member – can be reached here: https://www.fossilfueltreaty.org/
To encourage the Government of Canada to support the Santa Marta conference and be officially represented there at the highest level, write to:
-The Honourable Julie Dabrusin, Minister of the Environment, Climate Change and Nature: julie.dabrusin@parl.gc.ca
-The Right Honourable Mark Carney, Prime Minister of Canada: https://www.pm.gc.ca/en/connect/contact
Relevant books
Hans Rosling, Factfulness
Hannah Ritchie, Not the End of the World
Clara Mattie, Escape from Capitalism
Recording of the full G78 webinar on March 11, 2026: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OFzqGmlQBEY