Julia Simon

So 18 countries are already signed on, including Colombia, Cambodia, also a number of small island nations like Tuvalu, Vanuatu,

A number of big cities, Chicago, London, Kolkata.

And this is the group that Andres works for.

Nikki Reich, the lawyer we spoke to, advises them in her role at the Center for International Environmental Law.

The hope is that in Santa Marta, they will get the ball rolling for another conference to begin this treaty writing process.

The ultimate goal being to make this legally binding document that would commit countries to transition away from fossil fuels.

This is Jessica Green, political science professor at University of Toronto.

She thinks this Santa Marta conference and this potential fossil fuel treaty represent an inflection point for global climate politics.

And by the way, we reached out to the American Petroleum Institute or API about the conference.

The API is the biggest oil and gas trade association in the U.S.

with offices around the world.

ABI spokesperson Charlotte Law said in an email, quote, global energy demand is surging and, quote, ideological debates about eliminating single energy sources are frozen in the past and distract from the real work ahead, innovating to deliver the energy the world needs with a smaller environmental footprint.

Well, we were all evacuated after the fire.

We weren't sure what would happen.

But the next morning, we all gathered in the press conference room.

And then, Colombian Environment Minister Irene Velez Torres, she got on stage, flanked by about a dozen other country representatives, and made this announcement.

I looked over at Andres a few times during the press conference, and he looked like he was tearing up.

I caught up with him after.

Andres!

And Emily, some climate experts agree with him.