Call to Protect Biodiversity from Oil and Gas

The document argues that oil and gas activities threaten biodiversity at every stage, from exploration to end use, and calls for an immediate halt to new projects, particularly in high-biodiversity areas. It highlights the specific risks to the Amazon and the Verde Island Passage, and advocates for a just phaseout of fossil fuels to meet the 2050 goals of the Global Biodiversity Framework.

• Oil and gas operations impact biodiversity throughout their entire lifecycle, including exploration, production, transportation, and end use, leading to habitat destruction and species extinction.
• The Amazon, specifically the mouth of the Amazon River, is suffering from deforestation, water pollution, and habitat destruction caused by oil and gas activities, which harms both biodiversity and Indigenous livelihoods.
• Marine biodiversity is under significant threat from offshore oil and gas, with over 30% of new projects being offshore. A critical area of concern is the Verde Island Passage (VIP) in Southeast Asia, described as the "Amazon of the Oceans," which faces threats from liquefied natural gas (LNG) expansion.
• The signatories argue that halting oil and gas activity in high-biodiversity areas is a minimum requirement for parties to meet their legal obligations under the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and achieve the 2050 goals of the Global Biodiversity Framework.
• The statement calls for the establishment of fossil fuel free zones in the Amazon Rainforest (including the mouth of the Amazon River) and the Verde Island Passage.
• The document advocates for a just transition that replaces speculative technological fixes with small-scale renewable energy, energy efficiency, and a Fossil Fuel Non Proliferation Treaty, emphasizing that countries with the greatest historical responsibility should lead the phaseout.
• There is an urgent call to protect environmental and human rights defenders (EHRDs) who face harassment, intimidation, and violence globally.

APA

Center for International Environmental Law (n.d.). Call to Protect Biodiversity from Oil and Gas. https://www.ciel.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/CBD-COP16_CSO-Public-Statement-Biodiversity-threatened-by-oil-and-gas-FINAL.pdf

Chicago

Center for International Environmental Law. Call to Protect Biodiversity from Oil and Gas. n.d. https://www.ciel.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/CBD-COP16_CSO-Public-Statement-Biodiversity-threatened-by-oil-and-gas-FINAL.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |author=Center for International Environmental Law |title=Call to Protect Biodiversity from Oil and Gas |url=https://www.ciel.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/CBD-COP16_CSO-Public-Statement-Biodiversity-threatened-by-oil-and-gas-FINAL.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{centerforinternationalenvironmentallawndcall, author = {{Center for International Environmental Law}}, title = {{Call to Protect Biodiversity from Oil and Gas}}, publisher = {Center for International Environmental Law}, url = {https://www.ciel.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/CBD-COP16_CSO-Public-Statement-Biodiversity-threatened-by-oil-and-gas-FINAL.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }