Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty

Subject: Environment

Section: Int conventions

In the news:

A growing bloc of nation-states is joining forces at COP28 to begin to seek a negotiating mandate for a Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty.

The treaty is endorsed by:

The 12 endorsing states are: Vanuatu, Tuvalu, Tonga, Fiji, the Solomon Islands, Niue, Antigua and Barbuda, Timor-Leste, Palau, Colombia, Samoa, and Nauru
They have been supported by the World Health Organization, the European Parliament and thousands of others.

Aim of the treaty:

This treaty aims to complement the Paris Agreement by halting fossil fuel expansion, ensuring an equitable phase-out, and fostering a just energy transition globally.

Pillars of the treaty:

NON-PROLIFERATION
- Stop building out the problem by ending the expansion of coal, oil and gas production
A FAIR PHASE-OUT
- An equitable plan for the wind down of existing fossil fuel production, where nations with the capacity and historical responsibility for emissions transition fastest, providing support to others around the world
JUST TRANSITION
- Fast-track the adoption of clean energy and economic diversification away from fossil fuels so that no worker, community or country is left behind

Need for this treaty:

The urgency to address fossil fuel impacts on climate change has led to calls for a binding plan to halt new coal, oil, and gas projects. COP28 sees a coalition forming to propose a Fossil Fuel Treaty.