What if major economies all just agreed to quit fossil fuels — together? To date, 13 countries have signed a fossil fuel nonproliferation treaty. The biggest is Colombia, which has a $40 billion economic transition plan to build up green sectors and replace oil and gas revenue. Now Colombia is hoping to recruit other large economies to follow suit.

During a conversation at Climate Week in New York, Akshat Rathi sat down with Colombia’s environment minister, Susana Muhamad, and Brazil's chief climate negotiator, Liliam Chagas, to talk about what it will take for more nations to combat climate change. Brazil has not joined the treaty, yet, but as the designated host of COP30 in 2025, the country has signaled that it, too, wants to be a leader on climate change.

Explore further:

Past episode about what Vice-President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump are planning to do when it comes to climate
Past episode with Reclaim Finance’s Lucie Pinson about how to get banks to stop investing in fossil fuel projects
Past episode about the significance of COP28’s resolution to transition away from fossil fuels

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Colombia is quitting fossil fuels. Can it convince other countries to follow its lead?

Zero: The Climate Race

Colombia is quitting fossil fuels. Can it convince other countries to follow its lead?