The Australian Capital Territory Parliament votes in favor of global initiative to phase out fossil fuels in pursuit of a just transition.

PRESS RELEASE, FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, June 2, 2021

CANBERRA - Today, the Australian Capital Territory Parliament voted to endorse the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty. This makes the ACT the second city in Australia and first state or territory level government globally to do so, following in the steps of Vancouver, Barcelona and Los Angeles. The move complements the ACT's climate leadership following its accomplishment of 100% renewable energy last year.

The Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty Initiative aims to stop expansion of oil, gas and coal and to phase out production of fossil fuels in line with the Paris Agreement goals by increasing international cooperation for an equitable transition to renewable energy and low-carbon solutions. Fossil fuels are by far the largest contributor to climate change: oil, gas and coal are responsible for close to 80 percent of carbon dioxide emissions – yet they are not mentioned in the Paris Agreement once.

Tzeporah Berman, Chair of the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty Initiative and International Program Director at Stand.earth said: “We know that it is absolutely possible to phase out fossil fuels while rapidly scaling up renewable energy to meet all of our energy needs. The ACT’s climate leadership to support the Treaty and its tangible action toward 100% renewable energy is a testament to this. However, progress made by the ACT and other cities will be undermined by the continued expansion of coal, oil and gas. It is up to first movers like the ACT to make these changes now while we work to also encourage global cooperation in a time of global climate crisis.”

Australia has the capacity to be a renewable energy superpower. This motion by the ACT sends a clear message to other Australian States and Territories, the Federal Government and the rest of the world that continuing to lock in fossil fuels is dangerous, and only delays the opportunities for a rapid and prosperous low carbon transition.

Jo Clay, Member of the Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly who tabled the motion, said: “It is exciting for the ACT to become the highest level of government to support the call for a fossil fuel treaty. Though we don’t have a coal or gas mine close to the ACT, we recognize we are part of an international system that actively supports the fossil fuel industry, even domestically in Australia. Just like declaring a climate emergency, declaring our support for a Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty is empowering, demonstrating how even small jurisdictions can lead by joining with other cities, states and nations to speak with one clear voice.”

Richard Denniss, Executive Director of the Australia Institute and Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty Initiative International Steering Committee Member, said: “The ACT is already a world leader with our accomplishment of 100% renewable energy last year. It’s exciting to see the ACT build on this track record by becoming the first state or territory-level jurisdiction worldwide to call for a Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty. Australia has the capacity to be a renewable energy superpower. This motion by the ACT Government sends a clear message to the Australian Government and the world that continuing to lock in fossil fuels is dangerous, and only delays the opportunities for a rapid and prosperous low carbon transition.”

Rebecca Byrnes, Deputy Director of the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty Initiative said: “The 2020 bushfires were a literal picture of a world on fire in the face of the climate crisis. The ACT is leading the way on policy change in Australia, but without a phase out of fossil fuels in other states and territories, the ACT remains at risk of further climate impacts. It’s encouraging to see that, with this motion, the ACT government will also call on the Federal government and other states and territories to support a Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty.”

Global momentum around the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty Initiative is growing. Last month, the Initiative published an open letter signed by the Dalai Lama and 100 other Nobel Laureates calling on world leaders at the Leaders Climate Summit to stop fossil fuel expansion. This is in addition to 1,200+ scientists and researchers who have signed an open letter explicitly asking for a Treaty. The Initiative gained its inaugural city endorsement from Vancouver, Canada in 2020, followed by Barcelona, Spain and Los Angeles, California in early 2021. These city commitments, that now include the ACT, are critical pieces to driving a wider domino effect towards global cooperation.

“We in LA were inspired by tiny Darebin, Australia's world-first climate emergency declaration as we launched the creation of our Climate Emergency Mobilization Office," said Los Angeles City Councilmember Paul Koretz, whose Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty resolution was approved a few weeks ago. "To hear that Canberra may have been inspired by LA to move forward its own resolution of support heartens me that we may actually, working together as a united, mutually-inspiring global community, pull off our essential clean and just energy and transportation transition in time to restore our shared climate to safety."

The Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty is critically needed as a complement to the Paris Agreement to hold governments and the fossil fuel industry accountable for emissions from the production of fossil fuels. As it stands, national governments plan to expand fossil fuels at levels that would result in 120 percent more emissions than what is in keeping with the limit of 1.5 degrees Celsius of warming. Despite these plans, there is currently no mechanism in place to limit this fossil fuel expansion.

The Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty provides a vehicle to spur the international cooperation needed, drawing on lessons from global efforts to stop the spread of nuclear weapons and ban ozone depleting chemicals, landmines and other threats to humanity. It will advance action under three pillars:

1. Non-Proliferation - Don’t Add to the Problem
   An immediate end to the expansion into new reserves of coal, oil and natural gas would limit the globe’s production of carbon emissions (which if left alone would create more than twice over the limit set by the United Nations and other organizations).

2. Global Disarmament - Get Rid of the Existing Threat
   Since existing oil and gas fields and coal mines contain more carbon than can safely be burnt on their own, phasing out those current stockpiles is a much needed step to keep the world under the Paris Agreement’s temperature limits.

3. Peaceful Transition - Accelerate an Equitable Transition
   Every worker, community, and country must be taken into the deepest consideration on the way to fast-tracking all solutions. Only a proactive plan to enable economic diversification, implement renewable energy and other reliable, cost-effective low-carbon solutions will be able to meet the needs of a sustainable future

For more information on the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty, please visit the website and view the introduction video.

About the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty Initiative and SAFE Cities

The Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty Initiative is spurring international cooperation to end new development of fossil fuels, phase out existing production within the agreed climate limit of 1.5°C, and develop plans to support workers, communities and countries dependent on fossil fuels to create secure and healthy livelihoods.

SAFE Cities is a growing movement of neighbors, local groups, and elected officials phasing out fossil fuels and fast-tracking renewable energy solutions to ensure a just transition. Already dozens of cities and counties across the US – and several more around the globe – have passed concrete policies to keep their communities SAFE from fossil fuels, build renewable energy infrastructure, and create good, long-term jobs.

The Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty and SAFE Cities are sister campaigns working toward the same goal – an equitable world safe from fossil fuels. While SAFE Cities are a locally based solution that people in every community in the world can act on without delay to achieve a just transition, the Treaty Initiative goes global by encouraging first mover governments to act now while spotlighting the need for global cooperation in a time of global crisis. Together they tackle the climate emergency at all levels of government to ensure high-level ambition is paired with accountable execution on the ground.

Media contacts:

For Australian media enquiries: Michael Poland, Global Engagement Director, Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty michael@fossilfueltreaty.org +61 419 581 748

For enquiries outside Australia: Jemma De Leon, Communications Strategist, Climate Access jemma@climateaccess.org +1 909 536 9714