The timing of the first conference on the phase-out of fossil fuels in the Colombian coastal town of Santa Marta could not have been better. Is this the breakthrough we need, or will it again be just nice words?

It seems as if the energy transition is gaining momentum. Wind turbines are appearing on the horizon, solar panels cover our roofs. Yet the system beneath the surface has hardly changed. In 2013, fossil fuels accounted for about 81 percent of global energy supply. Now, more than ten years later, that is still 80 percent. This is because most new renewable energy is used to meet growing demand, not to replace fossil fuels.

In short, the fossil phase-out has barely begun. The biggest challenge lies ahead of us: structurally reducing our dependence on fossil fuels.

Companies like Tata Steel remain dependent

Steel, chemicals, and cement that support our modern life are still primarily produced using enormous amounts of fossil fuels. In the Netherlands, industrial companies consume about 45 percent of all energy. Large companies like Tata Steel are not only major emitters of greenhouse gases but also remain heavily dependent on fossil fuels for the time being.

The rules for industrial decarbonization have changed repeatedly in recent years. A clear example is the CO₂ tax from the Dutch Climate Agreement of 2019. This tax was intended to encourage companies to invest in cleaner energy by setting a minimum price on their emissions. But in June 2025, the House of Representatives decided to abolish this tax again, even before we could assess its effectiveness.

Back-and-forth policy

This kind of back-and-forth policy creates paralyzing uncertainty for companies. To truly make heavy industry sustainable, binding policy is needed that does not change with every election cycle. That is precisely why the conference in Santa Marta comes at a crucial time: not as a talking shop, but as a starting point for real binding agreements on the phase-out of fossil fuels.

As a co-organizer of the conference, the Netherlands remains unclear about its own position. Hopefully, our climate minister will join willing countries like Colombia. Because with only nice words, the myth of fossil phase-out will never be broken.