Ambassador Nguyen Viet Cuong attends first international conference on fossil fuel transition
WVR - On April 28-29, in the port city of Santa Marta (Colombia), the first International Conference on Transitioning Away from Fossil Fuels took place with the participation of 57 countries. Vietnam's Ambassador to Chile, Nguyen Viet Cuong, represented Vietnam at the Conference.
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| President of Colombia Gustavo Petro speaks at the Conference. |
This is the first international forum dedicated to discussing the roadmap for gradually reducing dependence on coal, oil, and gas, co-organized by Colombia and the Netherlands. This initiative emerged after the final document of the 30th Conference of the Parties on Climate Change (COP30, Belem, Brazil, 11/2025) did not address fossil fuels.
The Conference took place amid the Strait of Hormuz crisis, which has significantly driven up global oil prices. In her opening remarks, Dutch Minister of Climate and Green Growth Stientje van Veldhoven emphasized that “transitioning away from fossil fuels is not only good for the climate but also strengthens energy security and independence”.
On the afternoon of April 28, President of Colombia Gustavo Petro also delivered a speech at the plenary session. Over the two days, delegates from various countries discussed three main pillars: overcoming economic dependence on fossil fuels, transforming energy supply and demand, and enhancing international cooperation.
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| Delegates chairing the Conference. |
At the Conference, France announced its national roadmap for transitioning away from fossil fuels, becoming the first developed country to present a specific plan.
The Conference concluded with the Co-Chairs' Declaration, establishing three working groups: developing national and regional transition roadmaps, trade policies, and financial architecture reform. The Conference also witnessed the launch of the Scientific Council on Energy Transition.
Ireland and Tuvalu were announced as co-hosts for the second Conference, scheduled for 2027. The outcomes of Santa Marta will contribute to the transition roadmap being developed by Brazil in its role as COP30 Chair, expected to be announced before the 31st Conference of the Parties (COP31).
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| Vietnamese Ambassador to Chile Nguyen Viet Cuong at the Conference. |
Vietnam is currently implementing the Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP) valued at 15.5 billion USD and has issued a revised Power Plan VIII aiming for renewable energy to account for nearly 50% of total power capacity by 2030, with a complete phase-out of coal power by 2050.
At this Conference, Vietnam's Ambassador to Chile Nguyen Viet Cuong participated in plenary sessions and four thematic sessions on fiscal dependence, economic and labor transition, energy access, and phasing down fossil fuel extraction.
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| Delegates attending the Conference take a commemorative photo. |
(Source: Embassy of Vietnam in Chile)
