|
The Fossil Fuel Treaty would see countries coordinate to phase out fossil fuels, as quickly and fairly as possible.
This would involve an end to fossil fuel expansion and a globally just transition to clean energy. The government has shown signs it’s willing by promising to end new oil and gas exploration and show global leadership on the climate crisis. Now is the perfect time to push them to go further.
Why do we need a Fossil Fuel Treaty?
The Fossil Fuel Treaty has been spearheaded by Pacific Island States. For these countries, there’s no time to waste in the fossil fuel phase out.
On the Pacific island state of Tuvalu, for example, "Tuvalu is sinking” has become a local catchphrase. Science shows the country could become uninhabitable by 2050, little over 25 years away. The government is already drawing up plans to exist as an online state for its peoples who will be displaced by the climate crisis.
The climate crisis is also disrupting Tuvalu’s food and water supply: items that used to be staples must now be imported, and contamination of water supplies due to rising sea levels means the increasingly drought- prone islands are completely dependent on rainwater for drinking water.
By 2021, Tuvalu had produced just over 286,000 tons of CO2, compared to UK’s almost 80 billion. By 2050, it could be underwater because of the fossil fuel industry’s reckless and destructive expansion, and governments’ failure to reign these companies in.
The injustice of the climate crisis, who caused it and who pays for it, runs deep. That’s why we need solutions that are both bold and workable, and that focus on a globally just transition, to challenge it.
Why do we want the UK to endorse the treaty?
The UK’s history with the fossil fuel economy is long and well-documented, particularly in relation to the destruction of areas of the global south.
It was, for example, a colonial British government that first gave Shell permission to drill for oil in Nigeria. This was the first step on the path that has now led to the Niger Delta being classed one of the most polluted regions on earth. Meanwhile, Shell runs its multi-billion-pound business out of the UK, enjoying subsidies for certain operations, easy access to some politicians and much more.
The Fossil Fuel Treaty could make an impact on the global economy and stop oil giants from profiteering from misery on the global market. It doesn't need to be universal to be effective, but endorsement from big economies like the UK could be transformative.
The new government was elected with a mandate to deliver change – including on the climate crisis. Together we can turn up the heat and show them that people across the country want a bold global exit plan from fossil fuels.
Can you share the video to help make that happen?
|
