In the midst of an energy crisis, countries make plans to ditch oil, gas and coal

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By Julia Simon, NPR. 

Excerpt: ...Colombia is a major global coal producer, as well as an oil and gas producer. But in recent years, Colombia's government has been diversifying its economy and transitioning away from fossil fuels, the single biggest driver of human-caused climate change. The country isn't alone. This week, Colombia and the Netherlands—the birthplace of oil giant Shell—co-hosted the "Transitioning Away from Fossil Fuels conference" in Santa Marta, just north of the coal port. At a hotel by the sea, representatives of more than 50 countries participated in a two-day high-level conference to discuss concrete ways to phase out oil, gas, and coal. ...These high-level talks happened amidst the backdrop of a warming planet and an energy crisis spurred by the U.S.-Israeli war in Iran. High oil and gas prices and energy shortages triggered by the recent war have created what the executive director of the International Energy Agency, Fatih Birol, has called "the mother of all energy crises." ...In many countries, affordable Chinese electric vehicles are proliferating. Meanwhile, large solar and wind projects provide more cost-competitive energy than natural gas and coal projects, according to financial services firm Lazard. "Governments are not doing [the energy transition] necessarily for climate reasons," says Leo Roberts of the climate nonprofit E3G. "They're doing it because it is cheaper and more effective to move your economy away from fossil fuels — and it's safer and more secure."... 

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