The Netherlands will co-organise an international conference with Colombia next year on phasing out the use of fossil fuels, climate and green growth minister Sophie Hermans announced at the climate summit in Brazil.

The Netherlands is part of a coalition of around 30 countries calling on the summit’s presidency to include a commitment to phasing out oil, gas and coal in the final declaration.

There are fears that Cop30 could end without a deal after host Brazil proposed an agreement that does not include a roadmap away from fossil fuels, international news agencies say.

The Dutch Colombian initiative would be a “a separate but complementary process for high-ambition nations,” the Guardian reported.

A spokesperson for Hermans said the multi-day meeting, planned for April in Colombia, aims to set out how countries can scale down fossil fuel use.

The Netherlands’ strong support for phasing out fossil fuels is notable given that government wants to expand gas extraction in the North Sea to meet domestic demand, broadcaster NOS reported.

Hermans herself has not been known for ambitious climate measures, and several national policies were scrapped or weakened over the past year. Her party, the VVD, also made little mention of fossil fuels in its election manifesto.

Coalition partner BBB told NOS it does not support the plan for a conference in Colombia.

“We will still need fossil fuels for years,” said MP Henk Vermeer. “Companies in the Netherlands cannot become more sustainable because of grid congestion. Let’s organise a summit in the Netherlands to solve Dutch problems.”