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Santa Marta Conference Debrief: Transitioning Away from Fossil Fuels
On 3 July 2026, APCEL hosted a panel discussion on the recent Santa Marta conference on Transitioning Away from Fossil Fuels. The ‘Santa Marta Conference Debrief’ was hosted at White & Case LLP’s office in collaboration with the NUS Centre for Nature-Based and Climate Solutions and White & Case LLP. Moderated by APCEL Academic Fellow Justin Lim, the panel featured Joseph Teo (Chief Climate Change Negotiator, Singapore), Associate Professor Jolene Lin (Director, APCEL), Melissa Low (Research Fellow, Centre for Nature-Based Climate Solutions), and Fergus Smith (Partner, White & Case LLP).
The panel opened with presentations from each of the speakers. To start, Joseph Teo outlined the key outcomes from the Conference as well as the ways in which these mapped onto Singapore’s strategy for climate change. Following this, Jolene contextualized the Conference’s goals against state obligations in international law and the latest developments in the climate litigation space. For the third presentation, Melissa discussed how the Conference was related to UNFCCC processes and highlighted opportunities and challenges for both institutions moving forward. Finally, Fergus spoke on the operationalization of the just transition through the development of offshore windfarms in the region.
During the Q&A with the panel, participants had asked important questions about what climate negotiation and policy needed in an age of increasing political divisions. Panelists spoke about the regulatory and financial certainty needed in the space to accelerate the transition to renewables infrastructure. There had also been a greater call to increase grid capacity, particularly in the region, as Singapore would be reliant on other states for the import of renewable energy. The discussion ended on a forward-looking note on what could be expected in the climate negotiations and regional development spaces.
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