World leaders need to stop dancing around the harsh reality

In the past decade, renewable energy has become cost-competitive and pressure on governments to take climate action has only grown louder. Yet the share of fossil fuels in the world’s total energy mix is currently 80%, just as high as it was a decade ago.

Yet while our governments are regulating emissions and talking about net zero, discussion and pledges to stop fossil fuel expansion and projects are still not the norm.

Recently I was told at a climate conference that it was “a bit rude to keep talking about fossil fuels. It makes people uncomfortable”. Given the fires and floods and heatwaves sweeping the planet and taking lives and livelihoods, we should be uncomfortable.

It is time to say the F word at COP: fossil fuels.

In order to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement, we need both domestic action and international cooperation to stop the expansion of fossil fuel emissions AND production.  Countries and companies have been claiming climate leadership while also supporting new coal, oil and gas projects, directly or indirectly.

Read the rest of the article on the UN Climate Champions website.