As global temperatures rise and patience wanes, a coalition of 60 nations has assembled in Colombia for historic discussions on phasing out fossil fuels—the first such talks at this scale. The bold move comes as UN climate negotiations have hit an impasse, with wealthy and developing nations clashing over responsibility and financing for the clean energy transition.

The informal summit in Cartagena represents a growing revolt against business-as-usual diplomacy that has failed to deliver meaningful climate action. With extreme weather events becoming increasingly common worldwide, participating countries are exploring alternative pathways to accelerate the shift away from coal, oil, and gas, signaling that climate progress might now happen outside traditional channels if the UN process continues to falter.