Updated August 9, 2024
Cast your mind back to Paris in 2015. One of the most important climate agreements in history is being signed at COP21 by 196 countries in an endeavor to keep global warming to below 2 degrees Celsius, and ideally no more than 1.5 degrees.
Pretty important document then, right? You’d imagine that one of the big things in this agreement would be how to stop climate change at the root, namely, by ending fossil fuels. But guess how many times the words “fossil fuels” are used in the Paris Agreement.
Zero.
Enter the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty (FFNPT): an international treaty that would manage a just transition away from fossil fuels, spearheaded by a bloc of Pacific nations. It offers a much-needed roadmap to help navigate a post-fossil fuels world that is just, equitable, and abundant in clean energy. The campaign behind it is gaining momentum, and more and more voices are supporting this initiative in order to save our planet.
Why Is This Campaign Needed?
Just last year at the UN Climate Change Conference COP28 in Dubai, nearly 200 countries agreed for the first time to call for all nations to transition away from fossil fuels and closed with an agreement between countries in principle to oversee the “beginning of the end” of the fossil fuel era.
While a promising step forward, we need much bolder action that phases out fossil fuels now in order to meet our targets. So far, that’s not happening.
Projected carbon dioxide emissions from all the fossil fuel-producing infrastructure that currently exists (including coal mines and oil and gas fields currently under construction) would warm the world beyond 1.5 degree Celsius, which is the global climate target that would prevent the planet from slipping into further climate crises.
That's right, we’ve already got enough fossil fuels to blast through the limit deemed safe for humanity.
Despite that, there’s been a surge in oil and gas projects licensed in 2024. What’s more, investing in clean energy instead of fossil fuels would not only reduce global greenhouse gas emissions and result in 30 times the number of jobs created by a comparable investment in fossil fuels, it’s also already cheaper nearly 90% of the time.
Why Are We Supporting Signing Onto A Treaty? What Will That Do?
Great question.
A treaty is a formal, legally binding agreement, usually between different countries. The world has previously used treaties to mitigate the dangers of nuclear weapons,landmines, and chemicals that deplete the ozone layer.
The Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty could become a reality if, as has happened before, a diverse, global movement of advocates call on governments and those in power to finally take action and move away from oil, gas and coal production swiftly and equitably.
What is the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty (FFNPT)?
The FFNPT is not an organization, but rather a policy roadmap with three main pillars:
- A Just Transition — The cornerstone of this treaty is a call for a just transition, which means fast tracking the adoption of clean energy and economic diversification away from fossil fuels so that no worker, community, or country is left behind in the shift to renewables.
- Non-Proliferation — Moving away from fossil fuels means preventing new coal, oil, or gas developments of any kind.
- A Fair Phase Out — This pillar highlights the need for an equitable plan to wind down fossil fuel production. In other words, wealthier nations with the capacity (and historical responsibility) to transition away from emissions-heavy energy production should do so the fastest, while providing support to other countries with fewer resources.
Who’s Signed On So Far?
It’s safe to say that the Treaty is picking up steam. The FFNPT has been endorsed by 13 nations (Vanuatu, Tuvalu, Antigua & Barbuda, Fiji, Timor-Leste, Tonga, Palau, Nauru, the Solomon Islands, Niue, Colombia, Samoa, and the Republic of the Marshall Islands). Influential governing bodies and agencies such as the World Health Organization, and the European Parliament have also signed on, as well as hundreds of elected officials in 84 countries.
Signatories also include 101 Nobel Laureates, over 3,000 scientists and academics, 117 major cities and subnational governments (including Kolkata, Barcelona, Paris, London, Lima, Sydney, Amsterdam, Austin, Los Angeles, Hawai’i, and California — and soon, Copenhagen), the World Council of Churches, and more than 2,600 civil society organizations, as well as over 600,000 individuals.
How Can I Help?
There are loads of ways you can help, from taking action with Global Citizen to joining the Fossil Fuel Treaty Youth Space, an online space run by and for youth between 10 to 29 years old to connect young activists who are passionate about taking action on climate change. Wherever you live, there’s also likely a local protest you can join to have your voice heard. FFNPT has highlighted recent protests by civil groups including Just Stop Oil in the UK, Scientist Rebellion in the United States, and Letzte Generate in Germany, among others.