September 20th, 2023, New York - Today at the high-level segment of the UN Secretary-General’s Climate Ambition Summit, the Prime Minister of Tuvalu, Honourable Kausea Natano, called on fellow world leaders to join him in seeking a negotiating mandate for a new international treaty to phase out fossil fuels. His statement was supported by Lidy Nacpil, who represented climate justice civil society organisations at the summit.

In a historic moment, for the first time the need for a fossil fuel phase out was brought to the centre of the world stage, being explicitly mentioned repeatedly as a central way to tackle the climate crisis. 

As one of the key governments leading efforts to address the greatest threat of our time, Tuvalu has once again shown critical leadership by shedding light on the order of the day: the need for countries to join the growing bloc of nations working to negotiate a Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty.

The government of Tuvalu is working alongside Vanuatu, Fiji, Tonga, Niue and the Solomon Islands - signatories to the Port Vila Call, the European Parliament, the World Health Organisation and thousands of scientists and experts globally to develop a Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty. The proposed international mechanism would complement the Paris Agreement by tackling climate change at the source while ensuring a global just transition and sustainable development in developing nations currently dependent on oil, gas and coal revenues. 

Demanding a fair and fast phase out of the three products driving climate breakdown - oil, gas and coal - is the definition of climate ambition. The UN’s Global Stocktake released earlier this month makes clear that emissions are not in line with 1.5 degrees Celsius but rather 2.5ºC of warming. Only bold, global collective action that tackles the primary cause of the climate crisis will avoid further catastrophic impacts.

High-Level Interventions at the Summit:

Hon. Kausea Natano, Prime Minister of Tuvalu: “ The longer we remain addicted to fossil fuels, the longer we commit ourselves to mutual decline. Tuvalu is proud that we are working alongside our Pacific neighbours, the European Parliament, and the World Health Organisation to develop a comprehensive multilateral framework that addresses the climate crisis at its root cause. A negotiated Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty would complement the Paris Agreement and ensure a global just transition. We’ve proven we can mobilise our collective ambition at the multilateral level. The scale of the challenge we face can now only be met with an even greater level of ambition and cooperation. I travelled thousands of miles over four days to be here today, because I believe in international cooperation and multilateralism. I have faith in our collective humanity and our ability to foster global solidarity to undertake what needs to be done.”

Lidy Nacpil, Coordinator, Asian Peoples' Movement on Debt and Development (APMDD): "We are here to reiterate our call for all governments to take decisive, bold actions for a rapid, equitable transition out of fossil fuels directly to renewable energy systems. With no loopholes, no exceptions, no false unreliable solutions that merely extend the life of fossil fuels and serve as an excuse to continue emitting greenhouse gases. The current commitments are nowhere near enough - we need new commitments and agreements including an international Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty and a global phase out plan with clear timelines and fair sharing of actions to reach real zero by 2050."

António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations: "Climate action is dwarfed by the scale of the challenge. The future is not fixed. It is for leaders like you to write it. The path forward is clear. It has been forged by fighters and trailblazers – some of whom are with us today: activists refusing to be silenced; Indigenous Peoples defending their lands from climate extremes; Chief Executives transforming their business models and financiers funding a just transition; Mayors moving towards to a zero-carbon future; and governments working to stamp out fossil fuels and protect vulnerable communities. But climate champions, particularly in the developing world, need solidarity. They need support. And they need global leaders to take action. The move from fossil fuels to renewables is happening – but we are decades behind."

Gustavo Petro, President of Colombia: "The real goal that all countries should have is aiming for zero production and supply of carbon gas and oil. If we don't aim for that as our overarching goal, life will not be saved. If we keep on our current track it will be suicide. We live on coal and gas exports, but if we don't change course it will mean death because those industries are polluting the atmosphere. Fossil capital is a burden for humankind. Fossil fuel subsidies need to be completely eliminated world wide. That would give us a prospect for the future."

Governor Gavin Newsom of California, who became the latest subnational government to endorse the Fossil Fuel Treaty proposal earlier this month: “This climate crisis is a fossil fuel crisis. It's not complicated. It's the burning of oil. Its' the burning of gas. It's the burning of coal. And we need to call that out. For decades and decades the fossil fuel industry has been playing each and every one of us in this room for fools.”

Sadiq Khan, Mayor of London one of the largest cities globally to endorse the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty said: "The situation that confronts us today is grave. It is nothing short of self-harm on a planetary scale. It is the poorest, the most vulnerable, bearing the brunt. The time for action is now. Our reliance on fossil fuels is at the root of the problem. I say to fossil fuel companies: if you don't change and commit to the green transition, you risk being consigned to the past. The choice we face is simple: get on board, or get left behind as we race to a greener age. Governments should be helping businesses to do that, not putting obstacles in their way."

Gabriel Boric, President of Chile: "The climate crisis is a fossil fuel crisis so we need to leave fossil fuels behind. That in very specific terms means we have to react to the greenwashing that major businesses are undertaking. They continue with that greenwashing and they're stepping it up, and in some cases their greenwashing efforts are supported by countries. So, I'm a part of the Global South as the President of Chile and I call on us all to take them to task. We can't simply hold up our international commitments, that's not enough."

Fossil Fuel Treaty Initiative Reaction: 

Tzeporah Berman, Chair of the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty Initiative, said: "Today was a turning point. We have waited over 30 years for our leaders to tackle the root cause of the fires, floods and heat waves sweeping our planet and taking lives and livelihoods - the expansion of oil, gas and coal. Until now, our government leaders haven’t had the courage to say the F words at UN meetings. In fact, they’ve underwritten their deception by dumping more than seven trillion tax dollars as subsidies into the most powerful lobby on earth in 2022 alone. An industry that makes obscene profits while their products are killing people in the millions. That stops now. A growing block of countries is calling for a Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty that would ensure an end to expansion of oil, gas and coal projects, and cooperation on a plan for a managed wind down that is fast, fair and financed.”