Santa-Marta-Conference: Hope for Fossil Fuel Phase-Out - and for the Oceans?

First conference focused on implementation: Representatives from around 80 countries are meeting in Santa Marta, Colombia, to advance concrete steps for phasing out fossil fuels.

From promise to action: A 'Coalition of the Willing' aims to act in response to the escalating climate crisis without waiting for global consensus.

16 years after the Deepwater Horizon disaster: The expansion of fossil activities in the seas increases risks to marine ecosystems and their fauna, such as the highly endangered Rice's whale in the Gulf of Mexico.

Climate hotspot Mediterranean: While fossil activities continue, marine ecosystems in the Mediterranean region are already under massive pressure.

16 years after the Deepwater Horizon disaster on 20 April 2010, the USA is once again intensifying fossil fuel extraction in the Gulf of Mexico – with potentially severe consequences for marine fauna such as the highly endangered Rice's whale.

At the same time, fragile hope is emerging in Colombia: On April 28 and 29, representatives from around 80 countries will gather in Santa Marta to advance concrete steps for phasing out fossil fuels as part of a 'Coalition of the Willing.'

However, while the conference could mark a turning point, there is already a concrete need for action in climate hotspots like the Mediterranean.

The meeting in Santa Marta represents a new approach in international climate policy: The focus is on implementing existing commitments rather than new negotiations. This is based on the growing realization that it is not a lack of political agreements but their consistent implementation.

From OceanCare's perspective, this moment also makes one thing clear: Climate protection and marine protection are inseparable – and both require the consistent implementation of a fossil fuel phase-out now.

Why the oceans are under pressure

Offshore activities related to fossil fuels are driving both climate change and direct harm to marine ecosystems. At the same time, they are a major source of underwater noise.

In seismic surveys for new oil and gas deposits, dozens of sound cannons are used simultaneously – they produce the loudest human-made noise in the ocean. The sound impulses reach up to 260 decibels and are emitted every ten to 15 seconds for weeks or months through the entire water column toward the seabed.

For whales and dolphins, which rely on sound for communication, orientation, and foraging, this has serious consequences: behavioural disturbances, displacement from habitats, and long-term stress.

Time is running out for the Mediterranean

OceanCare highlights the urgency especially in the Mediterranean – a region warming faster than many other marine areas worldwide.

Nevertheless, the search for oil and gas deposits and their extraction continue in parts of the region – sometimes even in or near marine protected areas. This increases the pressure on already vulnerable species such as whales and dolphins. Particularly impulsive underwater noise affects not only marine mammals but almost all marine life, including fish and invertebrates.

However, some countries demonstrate that another path is possible: Portugal, France, and Spain have completely or partially stopped new permits for oil and gas exploration in their waters. They demonstrate that regional action is possible and effective.

OceanCare therefore calls for:

The halt of new fossil offshore activities: No new licenses for the search for oil and gas deposits and a clear roadmap for phasing out existing extraction.

A ban on seismic surveys for oil and gas searches, as they are among the most intense sources of underwater noise.

Stopping plastic pollution at its source: binding rules to limit and gradually reduce the production of new plastic to sustainable levels.

Strengthening regional measures: Already existing agreements should be consistently implemented – especially in sensitive regions like the Mediterranean.

Nicolas Entrup, Director of International Cooperation at OceanCare, therefore demands:

“The oceans are paying the price for our ongoing dependence on fossil fuels – through climate changes, underwater noise, and the risks of devastating oil spills. We have long known what needs to be done. It is not a lack of knowledge or scientific insight but political will that is missing. The conference in Santa Marta must give the necessary impetus to advance the fossil fuel phase-out, accelerate the energy transition, and finally make marine protection a priority.

From fossil extraction to plastic pollution: human activities are pushing marine ecosystems to their limits. Those who want to protect the oceans must finally address these causes at the root – instead of just managing their consequences.”

Carlos Bravo Villa, Ocean Policy Specialist at OceanCare, comments:

“For decades, it has been clear that we need to phase out fossil fuels – and yet the search for new deposits continues. This contradiction is no longer sustainable. We cannot claim to protect the oceans while simultaneously searching for oil and gas in the seabed.

What is needed now are concrete steps: no new offshore searches for oil and gas deposits, a clear timeline for phasing out existing extraction, and strong regional implementation plans. Especially the Mediterranean cannot wait for global consensus. In one of the fastest warming marine regions in the world, seismic surveys and fossil activities are already putting whales and other marine life under massive pressure – even in protected areas.

The conference in Santa Marta could send an important global signal: but we must act now at the regional level.

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