Fossil fuel:
We will gather at COP30, the climate change conference, and hold a symbolic funeral in his honor. And we do not believe that they are already dead, we know that they must disappear.
You have a fatal flaw. Every time you burn, heat is trapped on Earth. This is not an opinion. This is a physical condition and there is no solution. When burned, they release gases that shift the delicate balance that allows life to thrive on Earth. The longer they are with us, the less hope there is.
Yes, it’s true that at their best they facilitated the progress that brought us here. They brought wealth to those who extracted and sold it. But his time was up.
This funeral is based on evidence, not emotion. Let me explain some of the reasons why his reign must end, especially in Latin America.
Social change has already begun
The public, especially the younger generation, prefers to protect life rather than support pollution. Research shows that many Latin American countries and 80% of the world’s population believe that governments should prioritize investments in renewable energy over fossil fuels.
Their business model is in decline and their prices are not cheap.
Clean energy is now cheaper, safer, and more scalable than you. In 2004, the world was installing 1 GW of solar energy per year. By 2024, we have installed 1 GW of solar energy every 12 hours. In Latin America and the Caribbean, renewable energy already accounts for around 60% of electricity generation, the highest share in the world.
Uruguay currently obtains approximately 98% of its electricity from renewable energy. In Brazil, solar and wind energy already account for 30% of electricity generation. Fossil resources, on the other hand, account for only about 15% of the matrix.
In Africa, Ethiopia has banned the import of cars equipped with internal combustion engines. The measures aim to reduce dependence on fossil fuels, reduce pollution and save foreign exchange. The Ethiopian example is important because many Latin American countries continue to export oil and coal while importing derivatives and gas. This is contradictory for this region. We export them and then pay more to import the processed forms.
Latin America is home to most of the natural resources needed to accelerate the transition to renewable energy. In a world in need of clean energy, this region can provide abundant energy. Not as an extractive colony, but as an area that can lead a new energy paradigm based on social justice and ecological respect.
These trends do not indicate “phases in time” but rather ongoing structural changes. Why support fossil when cleaner competitors are already outperforming it on cost and effectiveness?
Climate debt is already coming due and is very 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 undo years of progress and planning.
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has warned that there must be no new development of fossil fuels and their emissions must fall rapidly to limit global warming to acceptable levels.
If we don’t bury them soon, we’ll bury ourselves too. Our families, economies, societies and ecosystems are at stake.
Change comes sooner than you think
This may not be his real funeral. But the time has come to start planning for retirement. Decarbonization is happening rapidly and people want it.
In the region, green industrial development policies, safeguards and energy transitions are strengthening the institutional foundations for energy transitions in countries such as Brazil, Mexico, Colombia and Chile. Colombia has announced that it will host the first International Conference on Fossil Fuel Abolition in April 2026.
Governments and companies, especially national oil companies such as Petrobras, YPF, Ecopetrol and PEMEX, are faced with important decisions. Will they continue to cling to failed business models that undermine their country’s development, or will they adopt smarter strategies that focus on the multiple opportunities that clean energy offers? A recent study in Brazil titled “The Petrobras We Need” has already outlined several ways the Brazilian giant could achieve this.
In Latin America, we choose a life of vibrant forests, snow-capped mountains, a stable climate, reliable harvests, clean air, plentiful water, a fair economy, and good jobs.
So, rest in peace. Or, better yet, let us bury your business model before it buries us.
energy power alliance