NEW YORK, 22nd September 2024 – Thanks to significant pressure from civil society and leading countries, the final outcome of the UN Summit for the Future—the Pact for the Future—adopted by consensus today cements the commitments agreed last year at COP28 in Dubai on the need to accelerate the “transition away from fossil fuels” as the new basic norm for climate action. Given the existential threat that coal, oil, and gas pose to our people and nature, the absence of a more concrete commitment or clear plan to phase out these harmful energy sources is also a missed opportunity to make further progress.

The negotiations around the Pact have showcased the enduring “tug of war” between the most vulnerable nations advocating for a global plan to implement a fast, equitable, and fair transition to a fossil-free future and a small group of fossil fuel-producing states doing everything possible to block any mention of fossil fuels in multilateral discussions. This ongoing struggle illustrates the need for a robust international framework to explicitly address fossil fuel extraction and its consequences. The same nations fighting this battle in the backstages are the ones leading the effort to secure a negotiating mandate for a Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty—a proposal already championed by 13 nations across four continents.

Prime Minister of Tuvalu, Hon. Feleti Penitala Teo, said: “We’re past time to fight over words. We must urgently come together to shape a concrete sustainable, fossil-free future for all. We cannot afford to let short-sighted interests dictate the terms of our collective common good. The Pact for the Future is proof that the UAE Consensus is the minimum standard, but we need stronger willingness to phase out fossil fuels paired with sufficient support for developing nations, if we are to see genuine progress. It is imperative that we unite behind the movement towards a new treaty that prohibits the expansion of fossil fuel projects and commits to a just and equitable transition. The path forward requires courageous leadership. Those ready to embrace this vision must join our bloc of nations spearheading the push for a Fossil Fuel Treaty.”

President of the Republic of Palau - Hon. Surangel Whipps Jr., said: “The climate impacts we face as Small Island Developing States are exacerbated by a lack of decisive action on fossil fuels. We and so many other nations and communities around the world desperately need greater international cooperation between states to forge a sustainable and equitable future for all. Of all the threats that humanity faces, few are as far-reaching and harmful as the impact of extracting and burning fossil fuels. A new Fossil Fuel Treaty is essential. The lives and livelihoods of our people, our homes, and our economies depend on stronger commitments to phase out fossil fuels fast and fairly.”

Alex Rafalowicz, Executive-Director of the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty Initiative, said: “Reaffirming the agreement made in Dubai highlights the vital role of civil society and visionary governments in shaping global governance. However, neglecting to take decisive action on the root cause of the climate crisis is a lost opportunity to tackle one of the greatest threats of our time. Only bold actions will help us address the devastating impacts of fossil fuel extraction. The time for half-measures and false solutions has passed; we need an overarching plan like the Fossil Fuel Treaty to drive real progress.”

The implications of the Pact for the Future are significant as it is the last major UN summit before COP29 in Baku. As the UN Secretary-General António Guterres said in his speech, "The Pact for the Future is about turbocharging the Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris Agreement, accelerating a just transition away from fossil fuels and securing a peaceful and livable future for everyone on our planet."

Once again, a group of the most vulnerable nations held the line and managed to overcome last-minute dangerous amendments. Despite the loopholes and false solutions language, the COP28 agreement is the minimum standard for climate action, and civil society and leading countries will continue to fight for it not to be watered down any further at upcoming UN summits. Attention will now turn toward how many countries make concrete national commitments to phase out fossil fuels in their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) to the Paris Agreement. 

But national commitments will not suffice. It is clear that, unless we have a global plan to tackle fossil fuel production head-on, a few wealthy nations will continue to skirt around the issue, pushing for loopholes, qualifiers and unproven, dangerous technologies like support for fossil gas expansion, carbon capture and storage, nuclear energy, “low-emission fuels” and abatement - all strategies designed by the fossil fuel industry to distract us from the source of the problem and to justify expansion. 

Along with mentioning the transition away from fossil fuels, the Pact also makes strong references to the 1.5 degree target of the Paris Agreement, which helps protect the most vulnerable nations. The Fossil Fuel Treaty Initiative supports that action and commitment need to be based on the science, which is clear that going beyond 1.5 has devastating impacts on Small Island Developing States and others who have contributed the least to the climate crisis.

As global leaders continue to gather for the UN General Assembly in the coming days, the call for a comprehensive Fossil Fuel Treaty gets strengthened. A well-structured treaty would not only provide clear guidelines and responsibilities to hold countries accountable, but also ensure that the needs of the most vulnerable communities are placed at the forefront of negotiations.

As the leading contributors to the climate crisis, the extraction and use of fossil fuels are also linked to a multitude of global issues, including public health crises, human rights violations, economic instability, conflict, and biodiversity loss. These cross-cutting impacts demand that discussions on transitioning away from fossil fuels be integrated into all major multilateral forums.