Santa Marta and the future of climate leadership
Professor Richard Beardsworth, Principal Fellow of the Priestley Centre, has written an article in the July edition of Open Access Government, a publication for government ministers, senior civil servants, and public sector procurement and policy professionals across the UK and Europe.
The article examines what initiatives such as the Transitioning Away from Fossil Fuels (TAFF) conference in Santa Marta, Colombia, held in April 2026, revealed about the future of climate leadership.
The article discusses the emergence of a coalition approach and how TAFF brought together 57 countries, international organisations, scientific experts and civil society actors willing to explore practical pathways for transitioning away from fossil fuels.
He then goes on to explore the limits of the coalition model and the tensions revealed that will determine whether such initiatives can become catalysts for broader transformation or remain limited to a relatively small group of frontrunners.