PATHWAYS TOWARDS INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION ON FOSSIL FUEL SUPPLY BRIEFING NOTE

The briefing note advocates for a Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty to complement the Paris Agreement by addressing fossil fuel production. It proposes a three-pillar approach—non-proliferation, global phase-out, and just transition support—and suggests that a group of 'champion' countries could drive the process. The document outlines a roadmap from building public support and evidence bases to formal negotiations via standalone processes, UN General Assembly resolutions, or other UN bodies, drawing parallels to the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons and the Mine Ban Treaty.

• To maintain a 50 percent chance of meeting the 1.5ºC target, it is estimated that 90 percent of coal and nearly 60 percent of oil and fossil methane gas must remain unextracted.
• The proposed Fossil Fuel Treaty is based on three core pillars: non-proliferation, a global phase-out of existing production, and support for a just transition.
• The initiative has gained support from a diverse group of stakeholders, including over 101 Nobel Laureates, more than 2,500 scientists and academics, over 800 civil society organisations, and more than 120 nationally-elected parliamentarians from 25 countries.
• A treaty does not require universal participation to be effective; a coalition of 'champion' countries—including non-producers, small- and mid-level producers, and those most vulnerable to climate change—can shift international norms and influence the finance sector and domestic policies.
• Legal pathways to a treaty include standalone negotiation processes, UN General Assembly resolutions (which require a two-thirds majority rather than consensus), or resolutions through other UN bodies such as the UNFCCC and UNEA.

APA

Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty Initiative (n.d.). PATHWAYS TOWARDS INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION ON FOSSIL FUEL SUPPLY BRIEFING NOTE. https://www.fossilfueltreaty.org/s/Pathways-to-International-Cooperation-on-Fossil-Fuels-EN.pdf

Chicago

Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty Initiative. PATHWAYS TOWARDS INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION ON FOSSIL FUEL SUPPLY BRIEFING NOTE. n.d. https://www.fossilfueltreaty.org/s/Pathways-to-International-Cooperation-on-Fossil-Fuels-EN.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty Initiative |title=PATHWAYS TOWARDS INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION ON FOSSIL FUEL SUPPLY BRIEFING NOTE |url=https://www.fossilfueltreaty.org/s/Pathways-to-International-Cooperation-on-Fossil-Fuels-EN.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{fossilfuelnonproliferationtreatyinitiativendpathways, author = {{Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty Initiative}}, title = {{PATHWAYS TOWARDS INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION ON FOSSIL FUEL SUPPLY BRIEFING NOTE}}, institution = {Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty Initiative}, url = {https://www.fossilfueltreaty.org/s/Pathways-to-International-Cooperation-on-Fossil-Fuels-EN.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }