The Fossil Fuel Treaty aims to develop a concrete, robust, binding plan to protect people and the planet from the multifaceted threats posed by oil, gas, and coal—from climate change and health crises to security and economic instability.
Over 25 countries have participated in discussions on a proposed Fossil Fuel Treaty to complement the Paris Agreement. They are supported by a diverse global network that includes thousands of health professionals, youth activists, social justice advocates, and church and civil society leaders. This movement also includes Indigenous leaders, businesses, cities and subnational governments, and over a million individuals worldwide.
The National Council of Churches in Australia has signed the multi-faith letter calling for a Fossil Fuel Treaty.
“The scale of fossil fuel production already underway places the world far beyond what is compatible with the Paris Agreement’s 1.5°C limit. Communities are already suffering, through fires and floods, hunger and displacement, poisoned air and collapsing ecosystems. The triple planetary crisis of climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution is not abstract. It is present, and it is accelerating. Furthermore, we see repeated and persistent violence related to fossil fuel extraction at every level, from the grassroots to the global.
“The transition away from fossil fuels and towards renewable energy is not a matter of ideology. It is a matter of survival, of justice, of fidelity to the very ground of our being. It must account for global inequality. To continue expanding fossil fuels without this accounting is to act without integrity. To invest in new extraction while claiming climate leadership is to hide behind illusion.
“We therefore call on every government to act with courage equal to the crisis and to negotiate, develop, and implement a Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty that will:
- End the development of new coal, oil, and gas production, immediately;
- Phase out existing fossil fuel production rapidly and equitably, ensuring that impacted workers and communities supported with dignity;
- Guarantee and finance a global just transition, securing universal access to clean, safe, reliable, and affordable renewable energy for all people.
“While this represents a challenge, it is unquestionably necessary and only becomes more difficult the longer it is delayed. Renewable energy is increasingly affordable and abundant. It is a matter of economic fairness that its benefits flow first to those long burdened by pollution, poverty, and exclusion. Energy must serve life, not enrich the few at the expense of the many.
“We come from many faiths and spiritual paths, yet we stand united. Justice is sacred. Compassion is sacred. Truth is sacred. Life is sacred.
“To the leaders of the nations, we have this message: Choose courage over complacency, action over delay, and life over profit. Act with urgency. Walk in justice. Restore balance. Protect our common home”, says the multi-faith letter.