SPAIN FOR A FOSSIL FUEL NON-PROLIFERATION TREATY

The Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty initiative is a global effort that seeks to address the main cause of the climate crisis: the production and use of coal, oil, and gas. Through international cooperation and multilateralism, the Treaty offers a proposal to accelerate the just transition to renewable energy and end the expansion of fossil fuels, in line with what science shows is necessary to address the climate crisis.

The pillars of the Treaty are:

• Non-proliferation: Halting the expansion of new fossil fuel projects worldwide.

• Equity: Phase out their use in a fair and equitable manner, in line with the goal of limiting global warming to 1.5°C.

• Just transition: Promote a just energy transition that ensures access to clean, diversified, and affordable energy, leaving no one behind.

The call for the creation of a Fossil Fuel Treaty is gaining momentum around the world. In addition to the 17 nation states that have already committed to participating in the negotiations, the initiative also has the support of more than 130 cities and subnational governments, the World Health Organization, the European Parliament, 4,000 civil society organizations, 3,000 scientists, 37 indigenous communities, and more than one million individuals, including 101 Nobel laureates and 850 elected politicians.

The Paris Agreement of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) establishes the need to limit global temperature rise to below 2°C and to pursue efforts to limit the increase to 1.5°C. However, it does not specifically address oil, gas, and coal production, nor does it include a mechanism to negotiate a just transition to clean and affordable renewable energy. In the 27 years that the UNFCCC has been conducting climate negotiations, fossil fuels have not been mentioned in the final text until 2023 at COP28. While the COPs and the UNFCCC are essential mechanisms and this dialogue must continue, the need for countries to reach consensus before making commitments limits the ambition and speed with which action can be taken, at a time when we need urgent action. For this reason, a Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty can fill the gap in international cooperation and be driven by a group of pioneering countries, rather than requiring the participation of all countries.

Spain is on the front line of the climate emergency, being one of the ten countries in the world most affected by extreme weather events, as we have seen over the last year. All these phenomena will continue to occur, and will become increasingly intense if the world does not make the decision to abandon its dependence on oil, gas, and coal.

A just energy transition towards renewable, sustainable, diversified, and affordable energy is therefore an urgent necessity to reduce these events in the future, but also an opportunity to increase the well-being and quality of life of Spanish citizens. Cleaner air could prevent the 25,000 deaths and more than 60,000 hospitalizations currently caused each year by air pollution. Investing in quality public transport and sustainable urban planning would make our cities more livable and walkable (both on foot and by bicycle), with more green spaces and more room for people to meet, connect, and live healthier lifestyles. In addition, the just transition to renewable energy and improved energy efficiency will create between 363,000 and 560,000 jobs over the next five years.

Spain, like the rest of Europe, has a historical responsibility to the countries of the Global South, which are currently the most affected by the climate crisis without having contributed to the problem, as their greenhouse gas emissions are in most cases insignificant. For this reason, the Treaty is also a way for Spain to promote global climate justice.

Spain is one of the most climate-committed countries in the European Union, and now has the opportunity to set an important precedent by becoming the first EU country to join the group of 17 countries already participating in negotiations for a Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty.