Advancing the Transition Away from Fossil Fuels
Supporting credible roadmaps for a just, orderly, and equitable transition away from fossil fuels.
More than 80 governments supported a roadmap to transition away from fossil fuels at COP 30. While the proposal wasn’t included in the final decision text, momentum is building as multiple initiatives emerge to advance action at national and international levels.
A key next step is the development of credible transition plans that address both fossil fuel production and consumption, embed social protections, and align with the best available climate science.
Countries are not starting from scratch. Many of the building blocks for a just transition away from fossil fuels are already in place. Lessons from Just Energy Transition Partnerships, first-mover coalitions, methane abatement programs, and other processes offer valuable insights for policy-makers on the key elements of credible transition plans, as well as the opportunities and challenges involved.
To strengthen energy security, protect economies from volatile fossil fuel markets, and keep global temperature rise as close as possible to the 1.5°C temperature limit, governments must urgently transition away from fossil fuels. IISD research supports the development of credible transition roadmaps, providing practical guidance for policy-makers and practitioners on ending new fossil fuel licensing, peaking fossil fuel demand as soon as possible, scaling up renewable energy, and doubling the rate of energy efficiency.
Publications
Bonn Climate Talks 2026: What to expect after Santa Marta
With UN climate talks starting in Bonn soon, the shift to implementation is being felt, especially in the transition away from fossil fuels.
Drawing the Line and Holding It: What existing moratoria, bans, and restrictions reveal about transitioning away from fossil fuels
Drawing on a global database of fossil fuel production restrictions, this article explores what policies look like in practice, where they are emerging, and what their strengths and limitations tell us about the politics of managing decline.
Progressing the Transition Away From Fossil Fuels
This paper focuses on the practical question of how to design effective roadmaps for transitioning away from fossil fuels—at both global and national levels.
Five Lessons From the IEA’s 2025 World Energy Outlook for the Transition Away from Fossil Fuels
New analysis examines the 2025 World Energy Outlook and what the reports scenario's could mean for the transition away from fossil fuels.
What NDCs 3.0 Are (and Aren’t) Saying About Fossil Fuel Production: COP 30 update
While new nationally determined contributions increasingly refer to fossil fuel production and just transition, the majority of fossil fuel-producing countries still avoid committing to actual reductions in production, focusing instead on reducing emissions from extraction and transportation processes.
What NDCs 3.0 Are (and Aren’t) Saying About Fossil Fuel Production
The third generation of national climate plans is expected to act on the 28th UN Climate Change Conference (COP 28) commitment to transition away from fossil fuels. But are fossil fuel-producing countries rising to the challenge?
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Carbon Minefields: Monthly oil and gas expansion monitor
This newsletter provides monthly updates on key oil and gas expansion activities. It monitors the climate impact of countries and companies expanding their reserves by exploring new fields.
May 2026 | Carbon Minefields Oil and Gas Exploration Monitor
For the second month in a row, the United States has dominated new licensing activity, awarding 74 new exploration licences in April alone. If fully combusted this could emit 35.5 MtCO2.
April 2026 | Carbon Minefields Oil and Gas Exploration Monitor
In March 2026, 91 oil and gas exploration licences were awarded across three countries, giving companies access to resources that would emit an estimated 93.1 MtCO2 if burned.
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Media Coverage
Why the international community should back Colombia's post-fossil fuel plan
IISD Comment: At COP29 talks in Baku, rewarding Colombia's leadership would build confidence in the transition to a greener, fairer world.
Oil and Gas Exploration Surges Despite Promised Transition Out of Fossil Fuels
Oil and gas exploration has surged to pre-pandemic levels this year, and Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, and Norway account for two-thirds of the new oil and gas licences since 2020, IISD revealed today.
Canada among five "other petrostates" dooming Paris climate goals with oil and gas ramp-up
Canada has been called out as a "climate hypocrite" by an independent international sustainability think-tank for claiming to be a clean energy transition leader while stepping up the award of oil and gas drilling permits to levels not seen since 2017. Together with the United States, United Kingdom, Norway and Australia, Canada has this year granted oil and gas licences that could release 12 billion tonnes of CO2 into the atmosphere if "fully exploited," according to IISD.
Revealed: wealthy western countries lead in global oil and gas expansion
The new oil and gas field licences forecast to be awarded across the world this year are on track to generate the highest level of emissions since those issued in 2018, as heatwaves, wildfires, drought, and floods cause death and destruction globally, according to analysis of industry data by IISD.
NDCs, long-term strategies should include roadmap for fossil fuel producers: IISD
Analysis by policy think tank IISD shows that seven of the 20 largest fossil fuel producing countries make no mention of fossil fuel production in their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and six others stated an intention to continue or increase production.
Make New Fossil Fuel Projects Taboo to Meet Paris Goals, New Report Urges
Having proven that the world has enough fossil fuel projects to meet demand until 2050, researchers say a global norm against new projects—similar to the taboo against nuclear testing—would help phase down fossil fuels and achieve the goals of the Paris Agreement. In a policy paper for the journal Science, authors from University College London and the Winnipeg-based International Institute for Sustainable Development build the case for such a norm in three steps.
Project team
Ivetta Gerasimchuk
Director, Energy Program, International Strategy
Vance Culbert
Senior Policy Advisor & COFFIS Secretariat Manager
Natalie Jones
Senior Policy Advisor
Jonas Kuehl
Senior Policy Advisor
Olivier Bois von Kursk
Policy Advisor
Tara Laan
Lead, Incentivizing Renewables
Greg Muttitt
Senior Associate
Paola Andrea Yanguas Parra
Policy Advisor
Angela Picciariello
Senior Researcher
Eduardo Posada
Policy Analyst
Lukas Schaugg
Policy Advisor
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How the Transition Away From Fossil Fuel Production Can Be Included in New Climate Commitments and Plans
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