The conference, organized by Colombia and the Netherlands, will come as the world is facing an "extreme energy crisis" due to the war in the Middle East, which has driven up oil prices and sparked fears of a global economic crisis, Velez said.

Colombia's goal is to establish a "coalition of those of us who possess the will to eliminate fossil fuels" and are "ready for action," she said during an online meeting with journalists organized by the Climate Observatory, a Brazilian network of NGOs.

Velez said 45 countries had confirmed their attendance at the meeting in the city of Santa Marta on April 28 and 29.

She said attendees would include major hydrocarbon producers from Europe and North America, but did not give further details.

The gathering was organized during last year's COP30 meeting in Belem, Brazil, as interested nations sought to bypass a lack of consensus between around 200 participating nations over the transition away from fossil fuels, a major driver of greenhouse gas emissions.

Velez said she hoped that California Governor Gavin Newsom, a Democrat and a leading figure in the opposition to the dismantling of climate policies spearheaded by US President Donald Trump, will attend the conference.

Meanwhile, the Brazilian presidency of COP30 has been developing an international roadmap for phasing out fossil fuels since late 2025.

It is due to be presented next November at the next international climate conference, which will be hosted by Turkey.