Next Monday, 27 April 2026, as part of the First Conference on the Transition Away from Fossil Fuels in Santa Marta (Colombia), the Interdisciplinary Observatory on Climate Change and the Climate Social Sciences Network (CSSN) are hosting a discussion entitled From Obstruction to Action: Strategies for a Just Energy Transition. Held in person at the Roque Morelli Auditorium of the Universidad del Magdalena, from 12 pm to 2 pm, the session is a side event to the Conference’s official programme, focused on analysing evidence regarding obstructionist actors in Argentina, Brazil and Colombia within the energy transition debate, in order to identify these actors, examine their discourses and narratives, understanding how they operate in practice.

Besides assessing the situation, the debate aims to explore concrete strategies and proposals from experts in civil society, journalism and academia to tackle climate obstruction and drive more just, coordinated and equitable transitions. The panel will feature Janaína Pinto (OIMC/IESP-UERJ), Camilo Andrés Garzón (La Silla Vacía), Elisabeth Mohle (IIP-UNSAM), Guy Edwards (Universidade de Sussex), Juliana Peña Niño (NRGI), María Mónica Monsalve (El País), Thais Lazzeri (FALA) and Wilmar Suárez (Ember).

Taking place from 24 to 29 April, through a partnership between the governments of Colombia and the Netherlands, the Conference on the Transition Away from Fossil Fuels was designed as a forum for countries, sub-national governments and other interested groups to engage in developing and promoting viable paths to implement a progressive energy transition and develop sustainable societies and economies.