Fossil fuels:
We will be gathered at COP30, the climate conference, to hold a symbolic funeral in his honor. And it’s not that we believe they are already dead, but we know they must disappear.
You have a fatal flaw: every time you burn, you trap heat on the planet. This is not an opinion. It is a physical condition and has no solution. Burning it emits gases that alter the delicate balance that allows life to thrive on the planet. The longer they stay with us, the more hope fades.
Yes, it’s true that at their best they promoted the progress that brought us here. They made fortunes for those who mined and sold them. But his time is up.
This funeral is based on evidence, not sentimentality. Let me explain some of the reasons why his reign must end, especially in Latin America.
Social change has already begun
Citizens, especially the younger generations, prefer to protect life rather than support pollution. Polls show that 80% of the population of many countries in Latin America and around the world believe that governments should prioritize investment in renewable energy, over fossil fuels.
They have a declining business model and aren’t even cheap.
Clean energy is now cheaper, safer and more scalable than you. In 2004, 1 GW of solar energy was installed worldwide per year. By 2024, it will install 1 GW of solar power every 12 hours. In Latin America and the Caribbean, renewable energy already accounts for around 60% of electricity production, among the highest in the world.
Today, Uruguay derives approximately 98% of its electricity from renewable sources. In Brazil, solar and wind energy already account for 30% of electricity production. For their part, fossil sources only contribute about 15% of the matrix.
In Africa, Ethiopia has banned the import of cars with internal combustion engines. This measure aims to reduce dependence on fossil fuels, reduce pollution and conserve foreign exchange. The example of Ethiopia is relevant because many Latin American countries continue to export oil and coal, while importing derivatives and gas. This is a paradox for the region: we export them and then pay more to import their processed shapes.
Latin America concentrates much of the natural resources needed to promote the transition to renewable energy. In a world that needs clean energy, the region can offer it in abundance. Not as an extractive colony, but as a territory capable of leading a new energy paradigm based on social justice and respect for ecosystems.
These trends do not indicate a “time phase,” but rather an ongoing structural transformation. Why support fossil fuels, when their cleaner competitors already beat them on cost and impact?
Climate debts are already due and are quite high
The damage cannot be postponed forever. Floods, droughts, fires, storms, agricultural losses. These impacts destroy lives and property, consume vast amounts of public and private resources, and erase years of progress and planning.
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) warns that to limit global warming to acceptable levels, no new exploitation of fossil fuels is necessary and their emissions must fall rapidly.
If we don’t bury them soon, we will bury ourselves: our families, our economies, our societies and our ecosystems are at stake.
Change is coming faster than you think
This may not be his actual funeral. But it’s time to start planning for your retirement. Since decarbonization is advancing rapidly, this is what people want.
In the region, the institutional foundations for the energy transition are being consolidated, with green industrial development, conservation and energy transition policies in Brazil, Mexico, Colombia, Chile, among other countries. Colombia has announced that it will hold the first International Conference on the Elimination of Fossil Fuels in April 2026.
Governments and companies, especially national oil companies such as Petrobras, YPF, EcoPetrol and PEMEX, face a crucial decision: will they remain stuck in a failed business model that harms their countries’ development, or will they adopt smarter strategies focused on the multiple opportunities offered by clean energy? A recent study conducted in Brazil, entitled “The Petrobras we need”, already outlines some ways in which the Brazilian giant could achieve this goal.
In Latin America we will choose life: vibrant forests, snow-capped peaks, stable climates, reliable crops, clean air, abundant water, fair economies and good jobs.
So rest in peace, or better yet, let us bury your business model before it bury us.
Energy Power Alliance
