24 July 2024 - Airports across Europe have faced disruption this morning as civil resistance groups publicly call on their governments to join the bloc of countries seeking to negotiate a Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty. Activists stopped air traffic at airports in Cologne and Oslo, blocked security gates in Helsinki, and blocked main roads outside airports in Zurich and Geneva. Meanwhile activists were intercepted at Heathrow in the UK and Barcelona-El Prat Airport in Spain. 

This “international uprising to end fossil fuels” comes after world temperature records were broken by what may be the hottest day ever recorded according to preliminary data. 

While not involved in the organisation, nor responsible for any of the peaceful actions that took place at airports today, the Fossil Fuel Treaty Initiative stands in solidarity with citizen’s rights to carry out peaceful demonstrations of protest. It is critical that governments listen to these demands and act swiftly to end fossil fuel expansion and support a global transition away from coal, oil and gas.

These activists are far from the first to call for governments to negotiate a Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty, a proposal spearheaded by 13 nation-states on 4 continents, and endorsed by over 3,500 organisations and institutions including the World Health Organization, the European Parliament and the World Council of Churches. 

Previous treaty proposals to ban nuclear weapons or phase out landmines have become a reality after a diverse global movement advocate for governments to take action, and we hope to see people from all walks of life join the call for countries to complement the Paris Agreement by negotiating an international treaty to phase out oil, gas and coal production in a fast and equitable manner.

Tzeporah Berman, Chair of the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty initiative, stated: "History will see the people who have been taking part in these protests as heroes not criminals. If our governments were taking the necessary action to stop expansion of oil, gas and coal and manage a fair phase out of fossil fuels to keep citizens safe, people wouldn’t need to do these protests. Instead of jailing citizens who are fighting for a livable future, governments should be prosecuting oil companies and committing to work towards a Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty.” 

The wave of actions was particularly strong in major Global North fossil fuel producing countries such Canada, the United-States, the UK and Norway, whose historic responsibility for causing the climate crisis has led citizens to be increasingly frustrated with a lack of action from these self-declared climate leaders. Wealthy nations such as these must immediately cease approving new coal, oil and gas projects and help fast-track and finance a global transition away from fossil fuels, including through supporting the bloc of nations from the Global South currently spearheading the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty proposal.

Alexandre Naulot, Head of Europe Advocacy and Campaigns for Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty initiative, said: "Self-declared climate leaders like Canada, the United-States and Norway have no plans to phase out their fossil fuel extraction, and in the UK, it is only the brand new government that has just committed to ending new oil and gas licences. In fact many wealthy countries are more likely to expand their oil and gas production than wind it down. In the context of this failure of political leadership, citizens are increasingly frustrated and will continue to push their governments to do more. Meanwhile on the other side of the world, thirteen nation-states from the Global South are already seeking to negotiate a Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty. These brave, peaceful actions demonstrate that the growing global demand for climate justice is only going to escalate. We urge all governments to listen to their citizens and join the global call for a Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty.”

Civil resistance groups involved with the international uprising include activists Letzte Generation in Germany, Folk Mot FossilMakta in Norway, Extinction Rebellion Finland, Futuro Vegetal in Spain, Just Stop Oil in the UK, Doe Deurne Dicht in Belgium, Drop Fossil Subsidies and Act Now-Liberate in Switzerland, Last Generation Canada, Extinction Rebellion Netherlands, Extinction Rebellion Boston and Scientist Rebellion in the United States.