FOSSIL FUEL TREATY BRIEFING FOR POLICYMAKERS

The briefing advocates for an international treaty to end the proliferation of coal, oil, and gas, phase out existing production equitably, and enable a global just transition. It outlines the necessary 'ingredients' for such a treaty, proposes specific diplomatic and domestic actions for governments, and provides suggested language for multilateral statements.

• Fossil fuels are the primary driver of the climate crisis, accounting for 86% of carbon dioxide emissions over the last ten years. Current global production plans exceed what is compatible with a 1.5°C target by more than double, and extracting existing reserves would result in seven times the emissions allowed by the remaining carbon budget.
• The proposed Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty is based on three core pillars: preventing the proliferation of new fossil fuels by ending exploration and production; phasing out existing production equitably, with wealthy nations transitioning fastest; and enabling a global just transition for workers and communities through renewable energy access and economic diversification.
• The initiative identifies five key ingredients for achieving the treaty: a strong civil society movement, an evidence base (such as the Global Registry of Fossil Fuels), a group of 'champion' first-mover countries, a suitable negotiation forum (such as the UN General Assembly or UN Environment Assembly), and the development of guiding principles for the treaty's substance.
• Vanuatu and Tuvalu have emerged as leading champion countries, with Vanuatu being the first to call for the treaty at the UN General Assembly in September 2022 and Tuvalu doing so in the UNFCCC plenary in December 2022.
• Governments are encouraged to take domestic supply-side measures, including regulatory approaches (bans or quotas on exploration), economic instruments (removing producer subsidies), government provision of services (divesting state funds), and increasing transparency regarding climate-related risks of upstream production.
• The document warns against using qualifying terms like 'unabated' coal or 'inefficient' subsidies in policy texts, arguing that these provide loopholes for producers to continue expansion without proven abatement technology.

APA

Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty Initiative (2023). FOSSIL FUEL TREATY BRIEFING FOR POLICYMAKERS. https://www.fossilfueltreaty.org/s/Briefing-for-Policymakers-EN.pdf

Chicago

Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty Initiative. FOSSIL FUEL TREATY BRIEFING FOR POLICYMAKERS. 2023. https://www.fossilfueltreaty.org/s/Briefing-for-Policymakers-EN.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty Initiative |title=FOSSIL FUEL TREATY BRIEFING FOR POLICYMAKERS |date=May 2023 |url=https://www.fossilfueltreaty.org/s/Briefing-for-Policymakers-EN.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{fossilfuelnonproliferationtreatyinitiative2023fossil, author = {{Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty Initiative}}, title = {{FOSSIL FUEL TREATY BRIEFING FOR POLICYMAKERS}}, institution = {Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty Initiative}, year = {2023}, month = may, url = {https://www.fossilfueltreaty.org/s/Briefing-for-Policymakers-EN.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }