{"id":47951,"date":"2026-04-13T08:05:09","date_gmt":"2026-04-13T08:05:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ch\/47951\/"},"modified":"2026-04-13T08:05:09","modified_gmt":"2026-04-13T08:05:09","slug":"switzerland-backs-a-global-phase-out-roadmap","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ch\/47951\/","title":{"rendered":"Switzerland backs a global phase\u2011out roadmap"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"oil<\/p>\n

The production and consumption of fossil fuels account for 68% of global greenhouse gas emissions. <\/p>\n

Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. <\/p>\n

With\u00a0oil and gas\u00a0at\u00a0the center of global tensions,\u00a0a first-of-its kind international\u00a0conference in Colombia\u00a0aims\u00a0to revive the transition away from fossil fuels. Switzerland supports\u00a0establishing\u00a0a clear\u00a0plan\u00a0for phasing\u00a0them out.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n

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April 13, 2026 – 09:00\n<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\n I cover climate change and energy through reportages, articles, interviews and in-depth reports. I am interested in the impacts of global warming on everyday life and solutions for an emission-free planet.
\nPassionate about travel and discovery, I studied biology and other natural sciences. I have been a journalist for SWI swissinfo.ch for more than 20 years. <\/p>\n


\n More from this author <\/a><\/p>\n


\n Italian Department <\/a><\/p>\n

The Conference\u00a0on\u00a0Transitioning\u00a0Away from Fossil Fuels \u2013 scheduled April 24 to 29 in Santa Marta, Colombia \u2013 is the first-ever\u00a0international\u00a0summit\u00a0dedicated\u00a0solely\u00a0to phasing out fossil\u00a0fuels.\u00a0The conference has taken on a new urgency as the conflict in the Middle East causes disruption in the oil and gas markets.\u00a0<\/p>\n

What is the goal of the conference on fossil fuels and who is taking part?\u00a0<\/p>\n

The\u00a0conferenceExternal link<\/a>, co-organised\u00a0by Colombia and the Netherlands, aims to develop concrete solutions to accelerate the gradual elimination of fossil fuels, in line with the goal of limiting global warming to 1.5\u00b0C. The meeting\u00a0seeks\u00a0to define the legal tools, economic measures and social change needed to ensure a just and orderly transition.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\n More<\/p>\n

\"hands<\/p>\n

More <\/p>\n

Emissions reduction\n <\/p>\n

\u2018The transition away from fossil fuels is a prerequisite for global peace\u2019 <\/p>\n

\n

This content was published on <\/p>\n

Apr 13, 2026 <\/p>\n

We discuss the first international summit dedicated to phasing out the production of coal, oil and gas with the executive director of the Fossil Fuel Treaty Initiative. <\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Read more: \u2018The transition away from fossil fuels is a prerequisite for global peace\u2019
\n <\/a><\/p>\n

Switzerland will take part in the conference and will be represented by the Ambassador for the Environment, Felix\u00a0Wertli, the Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN) says.\u00a0Another\u00a045 countriesExternal link<\/a>, including fossil fuel producers such as Canada and Norway, have confirmed they will\u00a0attend.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The Santa Marta summit\u00a0represents\u00a0a new space for dialogue and cooperation after fossil fuel discussions stalled at the most recent UN Climate Conference (COP30),\u00a0held in Bel\u00e9m, Brazil. However, it does not intend to replace the formal UN climate negotiations (which some\u00a0argueExternal link<\/a>\u00a0are overly influenced by oil lobbies). Its purpose is to create a complementary intergovernmental platform to support practical action by countries that wish to reduce their dependence on fossil fuels.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Series: Switzerland and its ambiguous relationship with fossil fuels <\/p>\n

Switzerland has pledged to phase out fossil fuels and continue the transition to renewable energy sources. At\u00a0the latest United Nations Climate Conference\u00a0(COP30), more than 80 countries, including Switzerland, called for a clear roadmap for turning away from fossil fuels.<\/p>\n

At the same time, Switzerland remains heavily dependent on oil and gas imports, especially for transport and building heating. This series analyses Switzerland\u2019s energy dependency and its somewhat ambiguous relationship with fossil fuels in the international context.<\/p>\n

>>>Petroleum products account for nearly half of Switzerland\u2019s energy needs:<\/p>\n

\n More<\/p>\n

\"petrol<\/p>\n

More <\/p>\n

Climate adaptation\n <\/p>\n

US oil buoys Swiss fossil fuel needs amid\u00a0Middle East conflict\u00a0 <\/p>\n

\n

This content was published on <\/p>\n

Mar 17, 2026 <\/p>\n

Iran\u2019s blockade of the Strait of Hormuz has disrupted the global transport of oil and gas. A look at where the fossil fuels consumed in Switzerland come from. <\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Read more: US oil buoys Swiss fossil fuel needs amid\u00a0Middle East conflict\u00a0
\n <\/a><\/p>\n

Why\u00a0is there a conference\u00a0on fossil fuel transition now?\u00a0<\/p>\n

Fossil fuels are responsible for\u00a068%External link<\/a>\u00a0of global greenhouse gas emissions. Replacing them with cleaner alternatives such as solar and wind is essential to achieving climate goals.\u00a0<\/p>\n

At the 2023 COP in Dubai, for the first time in more than 30 years of climate negotiations,\u00a0nearly 200\u00a0countries acknowledged the need to\u00a0progressively reduce the consumption of oil, gas, and coal<\/a>. However, no concrete progress has been made\u00a0since\u00a0then.\u00a0<\/p>\n

While\u00a0investments in renewable energy have increased<\/a>, global fossil fuel production is still projected to grow in the coming years, as shown in this chart:\u00a0<\/p>\n

Last year in Bel\u00e9m, more than\u00a080 countriesExternal link<\/a>\u00a0supported the Brazilian presidency\u2019s idea of a global roadmap for the transition away from fossil fuels. However, the proposal did not make it into the conference\u2019s final text. The blockage came\u00a0mainly from\u00a0large oil-producing states such as Saudi Arabia and Russia, as well as from China and India, which are reluctant to undertake a real and rapid shift.\u00a0<\/p>\n

To keep international pressure alive, a smaller group of countries led by Colombia and the Netherlands\u00a0sought\u00a0to open new diplomatic ground outside the COP negotiating process, giving rise to the Bel\u00e9m Declaration on a Just Transition Away from Fossil Fuels. The\u00a0documentExternal link<\/a>\u00a0acknowledges that fossil fuel production, consumption, licensing, and subsidies are incompatible with international climate goals.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The Declaration \u2013 described as historic because it was also endorsed by fossil\u00a0fuel\u00a0producing nations such as Mexico and Australia \u2013 laid the groundwork for the Santa Marta conference.<\/p>\n

What is Switzerland\u2019s position on phasing out fossil fuels?\u00a0<\/p>\n

Switzerland supports the Brazilian initiative for an international roadmap to exit fossil fuels. The roadmap should\u00a0identify\u00a0concrete milestones for implementing the transition, FOEN says. Switzerland is also engaged in international initiatives aimed at\u00a0eliminating\u00a0the\u00a0billions in subsidiesExternal link<\/a>\u00a0granted to fossil fuels.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cThe conference in Santa Marta will offer\u00a0an initial\u00a0space to exchange views on shared challenges. It marks the beginning of a discussion that is\u00a0absolutely necessary but also complex,\u201d FOEN writes in an email.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The transition away from fossil fuels is not only a climate issue. It also requires reflection on the implications for the economy, finance, energy\u00a0security\u00a0and, not least, the\u00a0livelihoods\u00a0of\u00a0the millions\u00a0of people working in the fossil fuel industry.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"smoke<\/p>\n

One in two residential buildings in Switzerland is heated using fossil fuels. <\/p>\n

Keystone \/ Salvatore Di Nolfi <\/p>\n

Domestically, Switzerland aims to reach net-zero emissions by 2050. The country has not adopted an explicit ban on fossil fuels.\u00a0Rather, it plans to\u00a0reduce their consumptionExternal link<\/a>\u00a0mainly by\u00a0encouraging the replacement of heating systems in buildings and supporting innovative and sustainable technologies in the industrial sector.\u00a0<\/p>\n

L\u00e9onore\u00a0H\u00e4lg\u00a0of the Swiss Energy Foundation argues that the\u00a0switch from fossil fuels (and nuclear\u00a0energy)\u00a0to electricity\u00a0and\u00a0a decreased\u00a0energy demand significantly reduce Switzerland\u2019s dependence on supplies from geopolitically unstable regions. \u201cThe\u00a0current conflict in the Middle East is a perfect\u00a0showcase\u00a0of how powerless oil-importing countries are in\u00a0reaction to\u00a0price\u00a0surges,\u201d she told Swissinfo.\u00a0<\/p>\n

What impact does the Middle East conflict have on the fossil fuel phaseout?\u00a0<\/p>\n

The energy crisis triggered by the\u00a0US and Israel\u2019s\u00a0attack on Iran will strengthen the\u00a0calls\u00a0for\u00a0a\u00a0global phaseout of fossil fuels,\u00a0H\u00e4lg\u00a0says. However, she adds, \u201cI am not sure it will have a direct effect\u00a0on countries\u2019 short-term willingness\u00a0to commit to a clear and binding roadmap for\u00a0phasing out\u00a0fossil fuels.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

Paola\u00a0Yanguas\u00a0Parra, a policy advisor at the International Institute for Sustainable Development, argues that the current crisis shows that \u201cfossil fuels\u00a0are not delivering\u00a0energy\u00a0security \u2014 they are undermining it.\u201d In this sense, she tells Swissinfo, it is likely that this moment will strengthen the case for a\u00a0global\u00a0phaseout.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Yanguas\u00a0Parra\u00a0identifies\u00a0two opposing trends: while some governments are expanding fossil fuel production or infrastructure in the name of energy security, others are using the shock to accelerate the shift toward cleaner and more resilient systems. \u201cWhen the right incentives and political will are in place, this transition [toward renewable energy] can happen quickly,\u201d she says, citing Uruguay\u2019s example of achieving a\u00a0near-fully renewable\u00a0power\u00a0system in under a decade.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Fossil fuel-producing countries, for their part, could use high oil and gas prices as an opportunity to shift\u00a0courses,\u00a0Yanguas\u00a0Parra\u00a0argues. \u201cIf managed\u00a0well, revenues from\u00a0high-priced\u00a0periods can also help some fossil fuel exporters invest in economic diversification, workforce transition and social protection \u2014 building\u00a0long-term\u00a0resilience instead of deeper dependence,\u201d she says.\u00a0<\/p>\n

What can be expected from the conference on fossil fuels?<\/p>\n

The conference will not produce any binding\u00a0agreement. However,\u00a0analystsExternal link<\/a>\u00a0predict that it may develop a shared document on a \u201cjust, orderly, and equitable\u201d transition away from fossil fuels, including minimum\u00a0objectives\u00a0and more ambitious language than that seen at\u00a0previous\u00a0UN\u00a0climate conferences. This could serve as\u00a0an initial\u00a0draft of a globally shared roadmap for a gradual phaseout.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The\u00a0organising\u00a0committee hopes\u00a0that the\u00a0initial\u00a0group of \u201cwilling countries\u201d behind the Bel\u00e9m Declaration will expand into a broader coalition of governments, international institutions, and companies determined to lay the groundwork for moving beyond fossil fuels.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Edited\u00a0by\u00a0Gabe Bullard \/\u00a0VdV\u00a0\/ac<\/p>\n

Articles in this story <\/p>\n

Series Switzerland and fossil fuels <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The production and consumption of fossil fuels account for 68% of global greenhouse gas emissions. Copyright 2022 The…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":47952,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_share_on_mastodon":"0"},"categories":[4],"tags":[101,454,455,740,806,496,393,460,334,459,17,21740],"class_list":["post-47951","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-switzerland","tag-article","tag-beat-climate-adaptation","tag-beat-emissions-reduction","tag-coal","tag-diesel-fuel","tag-diplomacy","tag-energy","tag-multi","tag-production-type-adaptation","tag-renewable-energy","tag-switzerland","tag-user-need-explain-it-to-me"],"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@ch\/116396367849848012","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ch\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/47951","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ch\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ch\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ch\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ch\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=47951"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ch\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/47951\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ch\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/47952"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ch\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=47951"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ch\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=47951"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ch\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=47951"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}